Stay
by Obsessed Authoress
Summary: He was just trying to keep Kagemiya from getting hurt that night. But somehow it turned into something more, something Yoshimori never expected. And he REALLY didn't expect the consequences a little time reveals. YoshimorixSen Mpreg ON HIATUS...?
1. Chapter 1

A/N- Yes, another _Kekkaishi_ fanfic! Actually, this is the first one I ever wrote for the fandom, but drabbles and oneshots are so much easier to post, and this fic is neither of those, so...yeah. It's long. But I figured the world needs more Yoshimori x Sen pairings out there, and I'm here to oblige! -fangirl squeal- Oh, and this is yaoi, by the way, so if you're not a fan, don't force yourself to read it. Anyway...

If you're planning on skipping my note...**READ THIS! THIS FANFIC IS GOING TO BE AN M-PREG!** If you don't like this genre, don't read this. That's what the back/return button is for. If you're game, go ahead! And for anyone who's concerned, let me assure you that this isn't going to be one of those mpregs that leaves a million plotholes and doesn't answer any questions and makes the reader think that the characters are on crack. Or that the author is on crack. -cringe- No, I'm not on crack. I swear. I tried my best to make these characters in-character, and I did put some thought into the theory of this mpreg. Again, if you don't like it, don't read it.

-Whew- Sorry for that really long note! Kudos to anyone who actually read the whole thing and is still here! I love you all! Enjoy the story! -OA

* * *

**Stay**

_By ObsessedAuthoress_

Disclaimer: I do not own _Kekkaishi_, unfortunately. If I did, well... -evil grin- Let's just say there'd be more happy _Kekkaishi_-fangirls in the world.

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**Chapter One**

"Oi, Yoshimori."

The dark-haired teen paused, turning back toward the school gate. "Kagemiya," he said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The small blonde shrugged, sticking his hands in the pockets of a long, red coat. "The Chief's here to do some research on Karasumori, so he's meeting with your ojiisan and that ghost dog that follows you around everywhere. He said I should come out here and help you since the Yukimura woman is sick tonight."

Yoshimori snorted. "That jerk. He could have at least told me what was going on, instead of showing up and disappearing with Shige-jii." The young kekkaishi rolled his neck irritably. "I guess that means Madarao isn't going to be coming tonight."

"Idiot. What do you think I'm here for?" Kagemiya demanded, tilting his head to one side with an unpleasant smile. "I can find ayakashi just as well as some undead dog."

The taller teen grinned. "Great. Let's go, then."

* * *

A bug. Of course it had to be a bug. A bug the size of a four-story building, to be exact. Yoshimori swore under his breath as he leapt out of reach of the sharp pincers, praying that Kagemiya had managed to do the same before having a panic attack. Yoshimori had never seen anyone with such a strong aversion to insects before; it was a debilitating phobia in the half-ayakashi.

Well, there was Tokine, but she only hated cockroaches. For Kagemiya it was anything with antennae and more than four legs.

_Damn it._

Yoshimori released a string of curses as he sprinted back to the blonde's frozen side; so much for escaping before the panic hit. Kagemiya was crouched on the ground, staring up at the giant of a bug, almond-shaped eyes wide and unfocused. And that razor-claw was slashing down-

_Mustn't let anyone get hurt. Have to keep everyone safe…_

_Kagemiya- _

He barely registered the small teen's shocked expression as Yoshimori suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking him from the swing of the bug's pincer, standing still with outstretched arms as the ayakashi's blade pierced him.

Blood spurted into the air.

"Hoi! Jouso! Ketsu!" The ayakashi insect shrieked, furious over being trapped within the confines of Yoshimori's kekkai. "Metsu!" With a burst of light and sound, the ayakashi exploded into a pile of dust. "Tenketsu!" The staff in the kekkaishi's hand created a whirlwind, sucking the glittering particles into another dimension.

Karasumori was silent again.

Yoshimori turned to face the half-ayakashi behind him. "Are you alright?" His side was burning where the bug had slashed at him, but the middle-schooler was more concerned with his blonde companion at the moment. "Kagemiya?" The teenager started, looking up at him. His face turned white; with a muffled groan, the blonde twisted away and retched into the grass, slender frame shuddering. Yoshimori sighed and bent down next to the other boy, holding golden bangs back as Kagemiya lost the contents of his stomach. "Hey, it's okay now…" Yoshimori mumbled, trying to think of something comforting to say. "Don't worry, they won't all be bugs." Kagemiya threw him a dirty look over one shoulder, wiping his mouth on the back of his wrist. Okay, maybe that wasn't so comforting after all… Yoshimori watched as the blonde's brown eyes widened again. "What is it?"

"Y-you're- you're bleeding!" the teen gasped out, pointing a shaking finger at the jagged tear in Yoshimori's robe. The other boy looked down, remembering the wound he's received from the ayakashi.

"Oh yeah…"

"Oh yeah?! What do you mean, 'oh yeah'? You got hurt! You got-" Kagemiya froze suddenly, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Kagemiya…?"

"You jerk," the blonde muttered. "You shouldn't have bothered protecting me. If I can't stand up to a stupid bug, there isn't much point in rescuing me, is there?"

Yoshimori scowled. "Shut up. That's just stupid," he growled. "You really think I'd stand back and watch you get torn to shreds just because saving you would be too much trouble?"

"I- I wasn't going to get torn to shreds!" Kagemiya shot back, melancholy vanishing for the moment. "I could have handled it myself!"

"Sure, that's why you were sitting in the grass, staring at that ayakashi as if you'd never seen one before!"

"Bastard-" The blonde cut off as Yoshimori hunched over abruptly, catching his breath. "Yoshimori? What's wrong?"

The dark-haired teen winced. "Ah…" His vision blurred.

Kagemiya leaned closer, wearing an anxious expression. "Yoshimori! Hey, are you listening to me?" He swore as the taller boy swayed, falling forward; the blonde caught him, trying to hold him up. "Damn it…" Bracing the other teen with one arm, Kagemiya reached for the wound in Yoshimori's side, ignoring the groan his touch elicited. It was deeper than he'd thought, still bleeding; the worrisome part was the purple festering around the edges. "Poison," the blonde breathed.

Yoshimori grimaced, pulling himself up with a hand on Kagemiya's shoulder. "Stupid bug," he managed, sucking in a breath.

"Don't move around," the half-ayakashi ordered. "You'll just spread the poison into your bloodstream." They sat there for a brief moment, Yoshimori trying to stay conscious, and Kagemiya trying to figure out what to do.

"It'll be fine," the former whispered, wavering. "I heal fast…"

"I don't care how fast you heal!" Kagemiya said angrily. "You can't heal poison like this!" Mouth thin with determination, he extended a long slender claw from one fingernail and cut away the material around the wound. "I'll have to suck it out," he muttered. Yoshimori stared at him, breathing hard.

"Wh…what?"

"Just shut up and hold still!" the blonde snapped. "You wanna die? It's not like you can suck the poison out yourself; you can't reach it." A faint blush touched his skin. "Hold still," he repeated. Steadying Yoshimori with one arm around his shoulders, Kagemiya bent over the dark-haired boy's abdomen and placed his mouth against the wound.

Yoshimori tensed, looking down at the top of the blonde's head. He could feel the other teen's lips on his skin, the flicker of something warm and wet over the wound- _his tongue?_- and the faint sound of sucking.

Damn, it _hurt_. Whatever it was, probably the poison, raced like fire through him, pinpointed to that one spot where Kagemiya was working. His back arched involuntarily, a hiss escaping through his teeth.

"I told you not to move!" the blonde snarled, breaking the seal his mouth had formed around Yoshimori's skin; he spat to the side, grimacing at the bitter aftertaste. The small teen hesitated, glancing at the wounded boy's face. "It's better to hurt for a little while than die, idiot," Kagemiya muttered, before his head dipped down and he began to suck out the poison again.

Everything started to fade; Yoshimori barely felt himself falling backwards against the ground. He lay there and stared up at the dark sky and the fringe of trees over his head, the school over Karasumori a faint outline in the background. He wondered why it was harder to feel the pain now- _the touch of his lips_- why Kagemiya's curses were starting to sound farther away…

"_Yoshimori? Yoshimori!" _

And then black swallowed everything.

* * *

It was quiet when Yoshimori opened his eyes. The sky was still the same overhead, just as dark as before. The trees were still there, and the school. Karasumori remained peaceful.

He couldn't have been asleep for that long…

The dark-haired teen pushed himself with a grimace, hand going to the wound at his side. It was already healing, but one of such severity would take more time than normal. There was something about the wound that bothered him though, tickling the edge of his memory-

_The poison. Kagemiya. Sucking…_

Cursing the heat that rushed to his face, Yoshimori stumbled to his feet and looked around. He was alone. _Where did…that guy go? _

The world tipped sideways dizzily; he staggered, leaning against the nearest tree for support. It was the blood loss, he supposed, though he couldn't remember having many problems like this in the past. What had happened to him to let such a simple ayakashi hurt him like this?

_But…I was protecting…_

Three steps into the trees and Yoshimori caught sight of the small blonde, sitting on the ground with both knees drawn up to his chest. Tears glinted on the boy's face. The quiet of Karasumori was disturbed by the sound of broken sobs.

For a moment Yoshimori was so surprised to see the Urakai member crying that he couldn't move. Then, without even thinking about it, his legs carried him forward toward the half-ayakashi, footsteps rustling softly in the grass. The wound in his side stabbed a shaft of pain into him, making him lightheaded and halting his progress.

Kagemiya glanced up, tear-streaked face registering disbelief. In a second he was on his feet. "You idiot! What are you doing walking around?" he demanded, stomping over to the dark-haired teen. "You were hurt! You can't just jump up like it was nothing!" Another tear slipped down his cheek, and the blonde started, as if he'd forgotten that he was in the process of weeping. A blush rushed across his face. "I-" Yoshimori stumbled forward a step, falling. The other boy swore, catching the taller one in his arms. "You're going to reopen your wound, you stupid-"

He never got a chance to say whatever should have come after that because in that instant Yoshimori lifted his head and planted his mouth over the blonde's lips.

_Kiss. _

Kagemiya jerked back after a moment, shock widening his brown eyes. "Wh-what the hell was that?" His voice was shaking, half an octave higher than normal. "Why'd you just _kiss me_?!"

Yoshimori blinked; everything was still a little fuzzy. All he really knew was that Kagemiya's mouth tasted like…a strange mixture of blood and strawberries. _Um…_ "…You were just sitting there, crying," he mumbled, aware that he probably looked like a lobster by now. "I…just didn't think. Sorry." He glanced up, grimacing when he saw that the blonde was literally shaking. Probably with rage. "And thanks for what you did before," he added hastily, before his companion could explode. "Sucking out the poison… I would have been in a bit of trouble without you there."

"_A bit of trouble_?" Kagemiya shrieked, gripping him by the shoulders and glaring into Yoshimori's wide dark eyes. Definitely rage…and something else…? _Fear?_ "You would have _died_ if I hadn't been here! That poison was no joke; I wouldn't have been able to suck it out if I weren't half-ayakashi, and it stung like a bitch anyway- But what's your _problem_? How can you just laugh that off? Don't you understand?" Yoshimori stared at him, dazed, as the blonde dropped to his knees. "You…you wouldn't have gotten hurt if I hadn't been here," the teen whispered; suddenly he was crying again, softly.

The dark-haired boy ended up on the ground next to the blonde, too tired to stay standing anyway. "Kagemiya," he said quietly. The young Urakai member glanced up reluctantly, humiliated to be crying in front of this person- _rival, friend…?_- and unable to stop. "Don't blame yourself," Yoshimori said sternly, resting a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "I…I don't think things through before I act; I'm sure someone smart like Aniki or Tokine would have been able to save you without getting all beat up, but I…" He gave a small laugh, wondering if he would ever learn skills like that. "I just didn't want anything to happen to you."

Before he knew what was happening, the blonde's arms were around his neck and they were falling back into the grass.

"You bastard," Kagemiya whispered. "Why are you…like this…?" The half-ayakashi's fingers were trembling as they tugged Yoshimori's robe off his shoulders. "…How can you just…throw yourself…into danger…?" The dark-haired teen made no response, only encircled the blonde's waist gently and then rolled over, reversing their positions.

Soft, tentative kisses, absorbing half-dried tears. Tracing down the pale column of throat to the smooth skin stretched over the collarbone… Kagemiya's arms tightened around Yoshimori's neck, pressing the latter close to his chest. Heartbeat, pulsing quickly.

"Don't you ever think…that you might hurt someone more by saving them than by letting them get hurt?"

Yoshimori shook his head slightly, unruly dark locks rubbing against the blonde's exposed skin. "No," he whispered back. "I'm not going to let anyone important to me get hurt."

"But…" Kagemiya inhaled sharply as Yoshimori's lips found the hollow place below his throat. "…What if you…someday…how do you think we would feel…?" He felt the other teen's mouth curve up in a smile, still pressed against his skin.

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"Yoshimori…"

* * *

Karasumori stood silent that night, the only observer of the two boys' tryst. The only one would never give up the secret.

Yoshimori later thought how strange it was that no more ayakashi ever showed up after the incident with the bug.

* * *

Kagemiya was gone by the time Yoshimori woke up.

The rising sun was the only thing there to greet him.

* * *

A/N- Well, what did you think? -grin- I hope it was good; drop me a review, they make my life better! Really, they do, I swear. Thanks! -OA


	2. Chapter 2

A/N- Another chapter! ...Which happens to be twice as long as the first. So, uh, I didn't write this fic in chapters actually, so if the chapter lengths are a little bit...random...I apologize. That's just how the scenes turned out. Oh, and I forgot to mention some things last time; this fic is set post-anime series, in case anyone was confused. I love the manga, but it's just too convoluted for this type of story. Sorry for any OOC-ness...and let me know if I make a mistake with the honorifics; I get so confused... Hope you like it! -OA

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Disclaimer: Not mine. -sob-

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**Chapter Two**

_Three Months Later _

Sumimura Shigemori was more than a little surprised to see his eldest grandson back on his doorstep after so short an absence. Since the destruction of Kokubourou, Masamori had taken up his old pattern from before, staying away for long periods of time. Until another group appeared with the united intention to take over Karasumori, the young Urakai leader of the Yagyou squad no doubt had business elsewhere.

Which was why his presence was so surprising.

"Masamori, what are you doing here?" The old kekkaishi noted absently that one of Masamori's subordinates was accompanying him: the small, young one with curly blonde hair. "Something wrong?"

The taller man rubbed a hand over his short hair with a sigh. "…Let's just say I've made a recent discover about half-ayakashi, and I think you should know about it." A barely-there smirk, contradictorily void of any mirth. "Just…promise you won't kill Yoshimori."

The old man's bushy eyebrows drew down in a scowl. "What's that brat done this time?"

"…Well-" Before Masamori could get any more out, the young blonde at his side choked out a curse and ran away from the front door, across the lawn toward the back of the large house. "Sen!" Masamori hesitated, watching him go, and then sighed again, following his grandfather inside. "Oh well… I guess it'll be easier if he isn't present. Anyway, this is going to take some explaining. Is Yoshimori still here?"

"I think he's in his room getting ready to head out for the night." The old man leaned into the study. "Shuji-san, bring Yoshimori here, will you?"

The bespectacled man looked up from his computer in surprise. "Masamori? What are you doing back so soon? What's going on, Otousan?"

"Masamori has something important to tell us."

* * *

Yoshimori squirmed, seated next to his brother at the dining room table, with his grandfather at the head and his father across from him. No one had mentioned the reason for Masamori's relatively swift return, and the teen was getting more confused by the second.

"So…what's this about, Masamori?" the patriarch of the family inquired, steepling his fingers. Instead of answering the question directly, the eldest son of the Sumimura family shifted in his seat, turning to face his brother.

"Yoshimori." The younger boy started, glancing up at him. "When I visited here three months ago to do research on Karasumori, Sen went to hunt ayakashi with you on the grounds." No response; it wasn't a question, just a statement of fact. "What happened that night?"

Yoshimori stared at his older sibling blankly, wondering what exactly Masamori wanted to know. Let's see…three months ago… And it came crashing down on him: _that night_. The teen started, praying that his face wasn't turning red. Did- did Masamori know about-? Was he referring to-?

He had tried for weeks to stop thinking about it, to stop wondering why Kagemiya had left without saying goodbye after they- He hadn't seen the blonde since that night at Karasumori. By the time he'd returned home in the morning, aching and still healing from his wound, Masamori had already departed, taking his subordinate with him. It wasn't as if Yoshimori could just call and ask the other teen for answers.

…Well, maybe he could have, but… He wasn't even sure what he would say if he were going to try. What they had done together…it was unlike anything he'd ever known. A secret he'd intended to keep forever.

Unfortunately, it looked like that wasn't going to happen.

_Ojiisan is going to kill me for sure…_

"There…there was a bug ayakashi and-" No need to mention the part about Kagemiya's panic attack. "-I got hurt and Kagemiya had to suck out the poison and, and then w-we-" What was he supposed to say after that? It wasn't even a good summary of the night's events, but there were some things he didn't want to share: the tears that had slid down Kagemiya's pale face, the way the blonde's arms had twined around his neck, the kisses Yoshimori had planted, trailing down the smaller teen's bare abdomen…and everything that had followed…

_Um. Slept together? Made love? Had sex? I took him and- _

_Damn it._

Turns out he didn't even have to say it. Somehow, the message was plenty clear enough, if the shock on certain faces was any indication.

"Oh dear," Shuji murmured, blushing himself on his son's behalf. "Yoshimori, why didn't you tell me?"

"You idiot!" Shigemori exploded, fists slamming down on the tabletop. "How could you do something so stupid? You're the legitimate successor and- and-!"

"Ojiisan, please, calm down," Masamori said flatly. Yoshimori gritted his teeth, hands clenching underneath the table.

"How the hell did you find out about this? Did Kagemiya tell you?" he demanded. His brother fixed him with an icy glare, and something shrank within the younger man.

"He had to tell me," the Urakai leader said. "That's why I came here to talk you. It has to do with what we discovered about half-ayakashi that's so important." He paused. "To state it bluntly, it appears that in spite of their half-breed status, they're designed for effective reproduction. In short, they're breeders: very fertile." Another pause. "This applies to the males as well."

Yoshimori's heart dropped into his stomach.

His grandfather gaped. "What do you mean by this, Masamori?"

The oldest Sumimura son never was one to beat around the bush.

"Sen's pregnant."

_Damn it. Damn it all to hell. _

"P-pregnant?" Yoshimori echoed, eyes wide. "Are you- are you serious, Aniki? How can he be pregnant? He's, he's a-"

"He's male, yes," Masamori said, unperturbed. If any of these shocking developments had surprised him, he was obviously over it by now. Yoshimori idly reflected that this was one of the things he hated most about his brother. Nothing ever seemed to faze the older man. "That would be the immediate reaction. And I'm not denying it. But there's no question that Sen is male. There's just this little extra…" He made a rather helpless gesture, the rest of the sentence trailing away; it was clear and yet mercifully vague what the 'extra' referred to.

"S-so, when we…" Yoshimori's voice faded into the silence. _Kami, are you playing on prank on me or something? Please, say yes… How the hell can Kagemiya be pregnant? _

"Yoshimori," the older Sumimura said seriously. "Listen to me. Whether or not what you did was irresponsible, there are more important things to think about right now. It doesn't matter that we didn't think something like this was possible. It is, and we have to deal with it. You have to deal with it."

The dark-haired teen choked. "How am I going to deal with it?" he demanded, panic rising at the thought. "I don't know anything about babies! I'm not even in high school yet!"

"I know that," Masamori said calmly. "That's why you're going to need help. But first, you and Sen need to talk about this. He needs support right now."

The younger sibling looked around. "Kagemiya's here?" _Why…why is my heart pounding like this…? Just because he's here? _

"He ran back behind the house when we first arrived," the older one said. "Go and get him." The middle-schooler rose without a word and left the dining room, heading for the exit. Masamori watched him go and rubbed a hand over his closely-shaven head. "Kami-sama…"

"Masamori, how could this happen?" his father wanted to know, hands pressed against the tabletop. "Yoshimori is so young…"

"Stupid boy," the grandfather growled. "Stupid boy, messing with things that he shouldn't know about until he's older. Kids these days… What's going to happen if Karasumori's enemies find out about this? They'll have a field day, taking advantage of our distraction."

"I understand your concern," Masamori said gravely. "But I have a responsibility to the members of Yagyou as well, and Sen is one of those. Don't think I'm going to put his well-being on the shelf simply because it would make things easier." He stared down idly at his palm, tracing the place where the Houin _hadn't_ appeared. Sometimes it still made him wonder, thinking that, for some reason, the mysterious symbol was present on his little brother's palm… "Yoshimori and Sen have done this, so there's obviously something between them that no one saw before…"

"So young…" Shuji repeated in a dazed murmur.

Yoshimori reappeared in the doorway, confusion written over his face. "He's not there," the dark-haired teen said shortly. The three adults turned to look at him. "I looked all over the place, and he isn't. I thought you said-" He cut off as Masamori was suddenly on his feet.

"Karasumori," the older Sumimura said darkly. "He must have gone to Karasumori." Narrowed eyes settled on Yoshimori. "Go find him, Yoshimori. Quickly. He's had a hard time accepting what's happening to him, even after the test results confirmed it. If he's at Karasumori in this state, who knows what he might to do? If you don't stop him, he might do something to hurt himself and the child."

The dark-haired teen was gone from the doorway almost before Masamori finished speaking. The older brother stood there for a moment and then sat down again, shaking his head.

"You're not going after him?" their father questioned, concerned.

The eldest son gave a thin smile. "I think Yoshimori can handle it."

* * *

Yoshimori panted, running toward Karasumori at full speed. He could only hope that Tokine wasn't there yet, that she hadn't found Kagemiya…that Kagemiya wasn't doing something stupid.

"_He's had a hard time accepting what's happening to him, even after the test results confirmed it. If he's at Karasumori in this state…"_

Yoshimori grimaced and ran faster. His head was spinning around and around, sending his senses off-kilter. All he knew was that somehow, his one-time lover was pregnant. His one-time, _male_ lover, can't forget… Pregnant. It was a relatively foreign word to a fifteen-year-old boy, one he hadn't wanted to be exposed to for a very, very long time. So why…?

"…_Who knows what he might do…" _

_Wait, Kagemiya. I don't understand what's going on, and sure, I really don't know anything about babies, but…we'll figure it out. Together._

Yoshimori leapt over the gate to Karasumori in a single bound, sprinting past the entrance faster than he normally did. He was earlier tonight than he'd ever been, but that didn't stop him from rushing. It was important, so important that he get there as soon as possible…

"Kagemiya!" the dark-haired teen called, one hand raised to his mouth. "Kagemiya, where are you?"

"Yoshimori!" His heart sank. What was Tokine doing here so early? Though, he shouldn't have been surprised, since she almost always beat him to the job every night. She ran toward him, her staff held tightly in one hand. "What are we going to do? Do you know anything about this?"

He raised a brow at the girl he considered his older sister. "About what?" he wanted to know.

"About that boy," she said, frowning. "The one from the Urakai who followed us into Kokubourou, what was his name…"

_Damn. _"Kagemiya? Where is he?" the middle school student demanded, peering over her shoulder.

"He's over that way," she replied, pointing. "But something's wrong with him, I think. Do you think he's trying to go rogue and absorb Karasumori's power?"

_Please, not that. Don't do that. _"You take care of any other ayakashi, Tokine," the younger teen ordered. "I'll take care of Kagemiya." He started running in the direction that she'd pointed, heart pounding heavily in his chest, ignoring the confused calls she gave of his name. _I can't explain it to you right now, even if I was sure that you'd believe me. Even if I was sure that _I_ understood it… _Right now, reaching Kagemiya was more important. _Whatever this is, it's my fault, and I'm going to make it right. Kagemiya… I'm not going to make you do this on your own. _

He came around the corner and skidded to a halt. It was the same place they had been three months ago, the place where the bug ayakashi had wounded him, the place where Kagemiya had sucked the poison…the place where they'd made love… Yoshimori blushed furiously, taking a cautious step forward. Kagemiya was sitting against the trunk of a tall tree, knees drawn up to his chest, just like before. Even from where he stood, Yoshimori could tell that the small teen had been crying. Just like before.

"_If you don't stop him, he might do something to hurt himself and the child."_ Masamori's words echoed in his ears. Yoshimori was determined not to let that happen. He was young and inexperienced, but he knew what terms like _miscarriage_ and _abortion_ meant. Maybe he didn't understand everything that was going on, or what was going to happen; he just didn't want it to be either of _those_.

"Kagemiya." The blonde's head came up sharply, narrowed brown eyes fixing on him. A menacing aura filtered into appearance around the smaller boy, like the one he used when sniffing out ayakashi. Only worse. Yoshimori was inclined to think that this one had more to do with a distraught half-breed letting the power of Karasumori slip past his defenses.

"What do you want?" the other teen spat, arms tightening around himself. "The Chief already told you the whole story, didn't he? Did you come to point and laugh at a freak?"

Yoshimori shook his head. "You're not a freak," he said firmly. "And yes, Aniki told me what happened. I…" He stared at the ground. "I'm sorry. I didn't know, but- but if I had, I would have been there for you. I never would have wanted you to go through this alone."

Kagemiya glared at him, breathing heavily. The pupils of his dark eyes elongated into narrow slits, like the eyes of a cat. A furious, tormented cat. "You don't have any idea how it feels," the blonde snarled. "You don't know how they looked at me when word got out, as if I were some kind of- of monster! I didn't know anything about this, alright? I-it wasn't my fault-" Yoshimori watched as the smaller boy's shoulders shuddered.

"I know that," the dark-haired teen said calmingly, taking a few more steps forward. "What does it matter what they think? Just so long as you and I know the truth…" He didn't really care for the fact that Masamori suddenly knew all about his love life, or the extent of it, anyway, but there was nothing that could be done in that department now. Besides, as much as it galled him to admit, they would probably need the older kekkaishi's help in the near future. "Come on, let's go back to my house and we'll just talk about this."

"No!" Kagemiya snapped. "I'm not going back there; I'm not going to have your father and your grandfather look at me like I know they will. I'm not going to have Chief pity me anymore. I can't take it!" The boy gave a hysterical laugh, one that actually sounded more like a cross between a sob and a groan. Those dark wild eyes fixed on the other boy, radiating pain and confusion. "Don't you _get_ it?! I'm _pregnant_! Pregnant! Guys aren't supposed to be able to get pregnant, and I- I-! I must be some kind of _freak_ for this to be possible! There's no way I can ever…" He paused to catch his breath, shaking all over. "There's no way Chief'll let me stay in Yagyou. There's no way I'll even be able to stay in the Urakai. And Shuu, and Hiba-san, and Mukade-san…none of them will ever look at me the same way again." The teen's face twisted briefly and then went blank. The nail of his right index finger extended suddenly, a long, slender blade. The blonde lowered his knees slowly, staring down at his midsection. Yoshimori felt fear swarm over him, stepping closer again. "There's only one way to fix this," the half-ayakashi murmured absently. He shifted the blade until it was aimed at his abdomen, barely centimeters away from covered skin.

Yoshimori didn't feel his legs move, but suddenly he was standing in front of the blonde, hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was furious, heat racing through his blood. "What do you think you're _doing_?" he demanded, seizing hold of Kagemiya's hand and wrenching the blade away from the other teen. The blonde looked up at him, wide-eyed; his pupils shrank back to normal. "Y-you can't just kill it, or kill yourself, or whatever you were planning to do! It won't do any good to run away from this! Just-" His thoughts were getting away from him, and the other boy was close, so close… "-Just let me help," the dark-haired kekkaishi begged, getting down on his knees next to Kagemiya. He barely registered his grip on the boy's arm loosening, or the fact that the blade was receding into nail once more. The ominous aura derived from Karasumori's power vanished, but he hardly noticed that either. "You don't have to be alone," he repeated. "I want to help you. I know I can't really feel what you're feeling, and I bet it's really scary, but… As much as possible, I'll be here for you."

There was a moment of silence. Yoshimori realized he was breathing heavily, adrenaline pumping through his system. Kagemiya was staring at him as if he was insane- _maybe I am_- those wide eyes dilated and glazed over.

_Well, that was…I don't know what that was, actually. Is this really happening?_

Indrawn breath. Kagemiya wavered, pressing one hand to his flat stomach. Yoshimori caught the other teen before he fell over, leaning the blonde against him. He was worried, seeing the half-ayakashi closer up; Kagemiya's face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. His breathing was loud and harsh in Yoshimori's ears.

"I…I don't think I can do this," the young Yagyou member whispered, head resting on Yoshimori's shoulder. "This isn't like facing a really tough ayakashi." He gave a bitter laugh. "This isn't even like facing a whole bunch of bug ayakashi. This is…so much scarier."

"I'm going to protect you," the legitimate successor said firmly. "Everything's going to be fine."

Kagemiya snorted, sounding a little bit more like his usual self. Yoshimori was relieved enough to ignore the solitary tear that slipped down the blonde's cheek. "Idiot. You probably don't even know what a baby is, let alone what to do with it."

"Of course I know what a baby is!"

"Hn. Then you should also know that I shouldn't be carrying one."

Yoshimori hesitated. "…Aniki talked about that," he said carefully. "He said that half-ayakashi are really, um, fertile and stuff."

"Yeah. Fertile. That's why you and I only had to do it once, and I'm already knocked up."

The taller one turned a deep shade of scarlet. "A-about that," Yoshimori began, trying to frame a delicate question. "That morning… Why…why where you gone when I woke up?" It all came out in a rush, but he figured it was best to get it over with sooner rather than later. Kagemiya went still against him and for a moment Yoshimori worried that he'd stepped into a land mine of some sort. But when the blonde spoke again, his voice was quiet.

"It was my first time," he said softly. "I…didn't know what to do, what I was supposed to do…and I knew that Chief was going to leave early that morning, so I…left." He avoided the other teen's gaze. "Later I wished I hadn't, 'cause I thought maybe you had gotten attacked again or something stupid and couldn't get away because of your wound… I made Chief call home as soon as we got back to Headquarters, just to make sure you hadn't died like an idiot in Karasumori."

Yoshimori grinned. "I don't die that easily," he said confidently. "But I did think it was strange that Aniki bothered calling to ask. Should have known it was you, I guess…"

The blonde flushed, looking away. "Y-yeah, well, don't read too much into it." They sat there in silence for a little while, each lost in his own thoughts. "I thought I was going insane, throwing up every morning," Kagemiya muttered finally. "I even passed out during training once. Chief probably thought I was insane too, 'til he went and had all those stupid tests done and they found out what was wrong."

Yoshimori frowned. "Is the throwing up normal?" he wanted to know, concerned. He only had vague memories of his mother's pregnancy with Toshimori, and puking wasn't one of them.

"Apparently. Morning sickness," the blonde said briefly. "The doctor at Headquarters said it might get better soon, since I'm already three months along."

"Three months…" Yoshimori murmured. Had it already been that long since the night they shared together? A separate thought occurred to him, one more foreign than the last. "Are you, y'know, showing already or anything?" He had one picture in his mind of his mother sitting by the dining room table, the gentle curve of her stomach filling her lap.

Kagemiya shot him a glare. "If you're trying to tell me I'm fat, I'll stab you," he threatened. Considering Yoshimori's panic and frantic backpedaling, the blonde snorted softly and sat up, turning to face the other teen. He yanked his shirt up above his diaphragm and tugged the waistline of his khaki pants farther down. "You can barely tell," he said off-handedly. Yoshimori stared, fascinated. Maybe a stranger really wouldn't be able to tell, but the young kekkaishi was well aware of how flat and muscular the blonde's abdomen normally was. It was still flat for the most part, except for the small bump cradled between narrow hips. It was one of the strangest things he'd ever seen, that subtle rise of smooth flesh where it wouldn't usually be. Yoshimori realized his hand was outstretched toward the bump and Kagemiya was watching him silently.

"S-sorry," the dark-haired teen stammered, jerking his hand back. Kagemiya muttered something under his breath and grabbed Yoshimori's hand, pressing it against the slight swell of his stomach.

"It's not like you're not going to feel anything," the blonde warned. But he made no move to interrupt the other boy's touch as Yoshimori rubbed his palm over the bump repeatedly, face cast in wonder.

"I can't believe there's actually something in there," the middle schooler breathed, dark eyes shining. Kagemiya _hn_ed.

"Let's hope it really is a baby, and not some weird ayakashi hybrid," he said morbidly.

Yoshimori frowned. "Of course it's a baby," he said reproachfully. "Do I look like an ayakashi to you?" He patted Kagemiya's middle gently and removed his hand, letting the blonde roll his shirt back down to cover the bump. "Let's head back to my house, okay? Tokine will take care of any intruders here." He climbed to his feet, holding out a hand to help the other teen up.

Kagemiya looked up at him uncertainly. "You…you're really not going to leave, are you?" the half-ayakashi whispered, almost to himself. Yoshimori raised a brow, confused.

"What do you mean? Leave Karasumori?"

The blonde shook his head, gripping the young kekkaishi's hand and rising to his feet. "Never mind," he muttered. "Let's go." _I thought he would be disgusted. I thought he would never want to see me again… What's with this guy? _

They walked around the school grounds, back to the gated entrance. Yoshimori hesitated, glancing back at Karasumori. The two teens faintly heard a cry of "Ketsu!" from somewhere in the trees. Kagemiya shifted.

"Maybe you should stay and help her out," the blonde mumbled, looking down.

Yoshimori shook his head. "Tokine can handle it," he said quietly. "She'll be fine." He grinned. "She always beats me anyway." They jumped over the gate easily and landed in the street, starting to head in the direction of the Sumimura home. They'd only gone a few steps when Kagemiya swayed and dropped to one knee, a hand pressed over his mouth. Yoshimori got down by his side, worry flaring. The dark-haired teen flashed back to their time in Kokubourou; Kagemiya had looked very much like this back then, panting softly as if he were trying to keep down his most recent meal.

But things were different now.

"Are you alright? Kagemiya?" The blonde nodded wordlessly, but his other hand was holding his stomach. Yoshimori _hmph_ed, swinging the smaller teen into his arms. "You're a terrible liar. Don't worry, I can get you home."

"P-put me down, you bastard!" Kagemiya gasped out, releasing his mouth to grab onto the fabric of Yoshimori's robe. The young kekkaishi ignored him, leaping agilely from the street onto the nearest roof. "Gah!" The half-ayakashi clung to the taller boy tightly as they soared over the neighborhoods below. "You're going to drop me-!"

"There's no way I'll drop you," Yoshimori said firmly. He felt the blonde go still and risked a look at the other teen's face. Kagemiya's mouth was a thin line, and his eyes were closed. Yoshimori almost said his name, worried that something worse was wrong, but then he spotted the glitter of tears slipping from those closed eyes. There was quiet between them after that.

* * *

Masamori was waiting outside the Sumimura home when Yoshimori walked through the front gate with Kagemiya still in his arms. The eldest son muttered something under his breath and walked forward to meet his sibling, face tense.

"What happened?" the Yagyou's leader demanded. Yoshimori flushed, trying to think of a succinct explanation. He didn't feel inclined to give his brother a play-by-play of the whole conversation.

"Ah… I don't know," the dark-haired teen said finally. "He got kind of tired after we left Karasumori, so I decided to carry him here…" He realized, looking down at the small figure in his arms, that Kagemiya had lost consciousness somewhere along the way. This discovery elicited a stab of panic, but the blonde seemed to be breathing easily, sleeping for all practical purposes; Yoshimori forced himself to relax. "Is he going to be alright, Aniki?" The older man gave his brother a long look and then turned away.

"Let's get him into the house so he can rest," Masamori said. Yoshimori nodded and followed his sibling up the steps to the front door.

* * *

The tea sat cooling on the table, untouched by the four men present. Yoshimori stared down at the tranquil greenish liquid in his cup, wondering if Kagemiya was alright. The sleeping teen had been settled into Yoshimori's room, stretched out on the floor on a spare futon. The dark-haired teen worried his lower lip between his teeth, reaching out to turn the tea cup in his hands. Should he have given up his own bed for the blonde? Would the futon be comfortable enough…?

"So, what have you decided to do, Yoshimori?" Masamori asked intently, watched the younger man. Yoshimori took a steady breath and returned his brother's gaze levelly.

"I don't run away from my decisions, Aniki," the young kekkaishi said with equal seriousness. "I told Kagemiya that I was going to be there to help him however I could, and that's what I'm going to do." _No matter what. I'm not going to let him be hurt. _

Masamori nodded. "I thought that's what you'd choose," the older Sumimura said, the faintest note of approval in his voice. "Of course, you understand that it's going to be difficult. There are a lot of uncertainties in this equation."

Yoshimori frowned. "What do you mean?"

The leader of Yagyou folded his hands on top of the table. "The physician at my headquarters who conducted the tests on Sen is very knowledgeable, but even he wasn't able to say for sure how the pregnancy would fare. It's unclear how Sen's body will react to the presence of the fetus, in spite of the fact that there is obviously room for it to develop… There are countless other factors that could determine whether Sen will be able to carry to term or not, how the birth will proceed, things of that nature."

Yoshimori blanched at his brother's words. With Kagemiya's crisis at Karasumori averted, the thought hadn't occurred to him that the blonde might lose the baby anyway, that something else might happen. And even if nothing like that _did_ happen… _Birth. _It was a terrifying thought, made even more so by the self-reminder that Kagemiya was a _boy_. The miracle of getting pregnant aside, boys couldn't _give birth_.

Masamori took a sip of his tea and set the cup back down with a muted clink, distracting the teen from his thoughts. "The one thing that is clear is that things have to change," the eldest sibling said firmly. "Obviously, Sen can't simply return to Headquarters and resume training and missions as before." He looked at his father and grandfather. "If it is permissible, I would request that Sen be allowed to stay here for the time being. There are things I need to organize at Headquarters, arrangements that need to be made. And…" A quick glance in Yoshimori's direction. "…I think it would be best for him if he stayed close to Yoshimori."

Shigemori gave a brief nod. "I have no problem with the boy staying with us," the old man said. "Shuji-san?"

Yoshimori's father started. "What? Oh yes, yes, of course. We'll take care of Sen-kun here, Masamori. Don't worry."

Masamori nodded. "I entrust my subordinate into your care," he said formally, bowing his close-shaven head slightly. "I will be returning to Headquarters in the morning. In a few weeks, I'll come to take Sen back with me to the physician I mentioned." He stood up, followed by the other three.

"Where are you going, Masamori? It's late," Shuji queried, eyeing his eldest son worriedly.

Yoshimori's brother rolled his neck idly, working out the kinks. "I think I'll head over to Karasumori and make sure that Tokine-chan is alright tonight."

Yoshimori started. "Ah- That's my job, Aniki," he protested. "I can still go-" He stopped as Masamori's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Stay here," the older one said. "Stay with Sen for tonight and make sure nothing happens."

Studying his brother's serious face for a moment, Yoshimori nodded silently. He watched as Masamori excused himself from the house and disappeared into the night. Shigemori sighed and rubbed his mustache, standing in the open doorway for a while. He didn't seem inclined to say anything to his middle grandson, which rather surprised the teen. The teen had expected a raging lecture the moment his grandfather had time to squeeze it in, but none was forthcoming. Shuji merely hugged Yoshimori briefly before heading towards his study and the novel-in-progress, likely wishing for a distraction and space to think. Yoshimori went to his room finally, wondering at the strange atmosphere.

It was almost…peaceful.

…Which was not normal in his home. Especially considering the recent news they'd received…

Kagemiya was still asleep on the futon, resting on his side beneath the blanket. Yoshimori stood and watched the blonde for a while, taking in the tangled mess of golden curls, the way closed eyelids flickered restlessly even in slumber, the slight parting of lips for an exhalation. The dark-haired teen took further note of the smaller teen's position, curled in on himself as if he were protecting something. Someone.

_This definitely wins as most bizarre day of my life… _

The young kekkaishi carefully navigated around the futon and climbed into his own bed, but sleep seemed illusive. Maybe it was because he was usually guarding Karasumori at this time of night; his eyes seemed unwilling to close. Thoughts whirled through his head in tumult, keeping his mind too busy for surrender to the unconsciousness. One thought in particular remained in the background, chiming over and over.

_How am I going to explain this to Tokine…?_

Yoshimori didn't know how long he stared at the ceiling before slumber finally took him.

* * *

A/N- Like? No like? Review? Pretty please? -OA


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Yay for angsty-Kagemiya and all his insecurity issues. -OA  


* * *

Disclaimer: Nope.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Everyone knows that five-o-clock is really early in the morning to be getting up. Yoshimori just never realized exactly how early it was until that _particular_ morning, when he woke to hear someone give a muffled groan and stumble out of his bedroom. The first question that sprung into his sleepy head was…

…_Why is there someone else in my room? _

Like the pull of a trigger, memory came flooding back in an overwhelming wave. A wave that included Kagemiya, their night together at Karasumori, the unexpected arrival of his brother, the announcement of an impossible pregnancy, fighting at Karasumori, bonding at Karasumori-

Yoshimori blinked, sitting up slowly. It seemed Karasumori was invading his life.

That, however, was hardly the point. The point was that it was _Kagemiya_ who was staying with him. It was Kagemiya who had just given that groan and stumbled out of the bedroom.

And it was Kagemiya's footsteps he heard rushing toward the bathroom.

-Oh. And it was _definitely_ Kagemiya who was pregnant, as last night's visual had shown.

The dark-haired teen grumbled as he pushed the blankets off his legs and staggered to his feet, following after the other boy. He thought he remembered Kagemiya saying something about throwing up every morning; right now Yoshimori was hoping that _every morning_ had been a little bit of an exaggeration.

"_Of course, you understand that it's going to be difficult."_

The young kekkaishi rubbed his eyes as he made his way down the hall; Masamori's voice just wouldn't leave him alone lately. Why did his stupid older brother have to say things like that, things that stuck with him and popped up at inopportune moments?

He came around the corner and stopped in front of the open bathroom door, watching as Kagemiya retched into the toilet. It reminded him, of course, of that night when the bug ayakashi appeared, when he stepped in front of the other boy to save him…and everything that followed. Specifically it was the stuff that followed which had ended them up in this predicament.

Yoshimori sighed and bent over Kagemiya's kneeling form, holding back pale, tousled ringlets as the blonde gripped the sides of the porcelain bowl. It was certainly not pleasant to watch his- _What are we supposed to call each other now? Lovers? We only…we only did it once… Partners? Partners in what? Coworkers? Heh. Friends? Um- _roommate offer up the contents of his stomach, but the taller boy figured holding the blonde's hair back was the least he could do. Besides, from all indications, it was Kagemiya who was going to have the hard job in the months to come.

_I said I'd help you however I could, didn't I? So. So…it doesn't matter if Aniki says that it's going to be difficult. Maybe it will, but…that doesn't change anything, does it? _

Kagemiya gasped out a breath, granted a reprieve by his unpredictable stomach. "Y-Yoshimori?" he managed, twisting his head slightly to eye the other teen. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

A dark brown rose quizzically. "…I live here," Yoshimori said slowly, head tilted to the side. Kagemiya grimaced; he seemed about to frame a response, but gagged instead and stuck his head over the toilet once more. Yoshimori waited while the blonde finished emptying his stomach, rubbing tentative circles against his back with a free hand. Kagemiya released the edge of the bowl and sat back on his heels, one arm pressed over his middle.

"That's not what I meant," the teen said peevishly, voice hoarse. "I mean, what are you doing here, in the bathroom, at five-o-clock in the morning?"

Yoshimori shrugged, running a hand through his spiky hair. "Trying to help you, I guess," he said, suppressing a yawn. "I figured it couldn't be much fun to throw up all by yourself, and I said I would help so…" He didn't think it was that difficult to understand, but the look Kagemiya gave him was one of confusion. It was the same look the blonde had given him the night before, when Yoshimori leaned over to help him up and suggested they go home.

"_You're not going to leave, are you?" _

Yoshimori still wasn't sure what Kagemiya had meant by that.

He snapped out of his thoughts as the other teen leaned back against the sink and released an unsteady breath, eyes fluttering closed. "Kagemiya? Are you alright?" Receiving a slight shake of the head in response, the dark-haired boy flushed the toilet and then joined the blonde on the floor, ignoring the cold of the tile seeping through his pajamas. "Can…can I…" Keh. For all his declarations of wanting to help, he had no idea what he was supposed to do in a situation like this. "Can I do anything?" Another silent no.

_Useless, useless… I feel useless. _

Yoshimori took the opportunity of silence between them to study the pregnant teen out of the corner of his eye. The angle of the blonde head resting against the sink revealed a stretch of smooth, pale throat, leading down to the collar of his shirt. The spare pajamas he'd lent to Kagemiya were several sizes too big, judging from the way the extra material pooled in his lap. Yoshimori's eyes drifted down in that direction, fixing on the barely perceptible swell of the other boy's abdomen. Was this the equivalent of 'the morning after,' when he had to come to grips with what had happened? The shock traveled through him afresh, the knowledge that he had a hand in this; it was his responsibility as well.

His offspring. His child.

Kagemiya's voice broke into his thoughts. "…Stop staring at me, idiot," the blonde growled, but his cheeks were dusted pink with a faint blush. Yoshimori grinned.

"Why shouldn't I stare at you?" he wanted to know. The blush intensified.

"Because it-it's stupid," the half-ayakashi muttered, reaching up to grasp the edge of the sink and pull himself to his feet. The dark-haired teen quickly followed suit, present to steady the blonde as he swayed.

"Hey, careful," he said, concerned. "You don't want to fall down or something; you might hurt yourself or the baby…"

"I'm not going to break!" Kagemiya snapped, shaking off the offending arm. "I'm still the same person, you know! I don't need you to do everything for me!"

Yoshimori frowned. A part of him was hurt at the rebuff, but another part of him could understand how the other boy must feel. It was way too early in the morning for this… "Look, Kagemiya, I'm just trying to help. I know you're still the same person, but these are big changes to get used to. I don't think anyone could do something like this alone."

Unexpectedly, the blonde sniffed and lowered his head, rubbing a too-long sleeve over his eyes. Yoshimori gaped for a split second before recovering his composure. When he thought about it, he'd seen Kagemiya crying a lot in the past twenty-four hours. "Damn it," the other teen whispered, burying his face in his hands. "Damn hormones. I haven't cried so much since I was a little kid… Maybe I'm a girl after all."

"That's stupid," Yoshimori said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are definitely not a girl, Kagemiya." _I would know…_ The smaller boy mumbled something into his hands, ignoring the dark-haired teen's matter-of-fact statement. Yoshimori stepped closer, straining to hear. "What?" he queried. "I missed what you said."

"…I said I hate being weak," Kagemiya said dully, hands dropping to his sides. Yoshimori didn't like the way those brown eyes stared blankly at the floor, so lifeless, so hopeless; he closed the remaining distance between them and drew the blonde into his arms gently.

"You're not weak," he said softly, cheek pressed against golden locks. Kagemiya's hair was so soft…and it smelled good, too. "You're…you're one of the strongest people I know. Strong like Tokine, and Aniki, and, and Shishio…" He felt that slim form shudder slightly against him at the mention of the late Yagyou member's name. A stab of sorrow pierced him; a life given up too soon. Shishio Gen should have lived much longer than fourteen years. That was one thing he was not going to forgive Karasumori for… But all of this was beside the point. "What you're doing now is something really difficult. I don't even know if I could do it. So don't say stuff like that, alright?" He leaned back slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of Kagemiya's shadowed eyes.

The blonde sagged against him wearily with a faint sigh; Yoshimori was surprised to feel a pair of arms twine loosely around his waist. Kagemiya wasn't usually one for displays of affection. "I knew you'd say something like that," the other teen murmured, sounding slightly disgruntled. "You always say things like that…" Yoshimori _hmm_ed absently, distracted by the feeling of Kagemiya's slightly rounded stomach pressing against his own flat one. There was that shock again. Was he ever going to get used to this? Kagemiya blinked in sleepy surprise as the young kekkaishi pulled away from the embrace. "Yoshimori? What is it?"

The dark-haired teen shook his head, smiling reassuringly. "It's nothing," he said. Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and brushed that small bump again, feeling the swell of warm flesh through thin cotton. "I just…can't believe it, still," Yoshimori said quietly. "A baby…our baby…"

Kagemiya yawned. "I'd like to say that I don't believe it either, but this puking-every-morning gig gets pretty convincing after a while," he said irritably. Yoshimori snickered in spite of himself and earned the blonde's baleful glare. Clearly the subject was not supposed to be amusing. "Let's go back to bed," the pregnant teen said shortly, stepping past his host into the hall. Yoshimori sighed and turned off the bathroom light, following Kagemiya back to his bedroom. The blonde was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, but the legitimate successor had a slightly more difficult time of it, once again.

He remembered glancing at the clock by his bed before drifting off to sleep.

_-Mental groan- Only two more hours until I have to get up for school…

* * *

_

Yoshimori snatched a container of coffee milk off the kitchen counter and immediately lifted it to his mouth, dutifully inhaling the contents. If school insisted on being so early in the morning, he would obviously have to compensate with an equally early dose of caffeine. Slinging his school bag over one shoulder, the dark-haired teen headed for the front door to don his shoes, only to find that someone had beat him there.

"Aniki? What are you doing up this early?"

The older man glanced over his shoulder at his brother, dark brow raised. "Last night I told you I would be going back to Headquarters in the morning. Weren't you listening?"

Yoshimori blinked. Everything from the night before seemed a little bit hazy… "Oh, yeah," he muttered, stooping down to slip his shoes on. When he straightened, he found Masamori's eyes resting on him. "What?" he demanded, rather defensively.

Masamori grinned. "Nothing," he said nonchalantly. "I was just wondering if you always look this zombie-like in the morning."

"Shut up."

The leader of the Yagyou smirked as he rose, his own bag in hand. The two brothers regarded each other for a moment; the mirth was banished. "…Watch out for Sen until I get back," Masamori said seriously. Yoshimori nodded, looking away.

"I will," he promised, a bit sullenly. It wasn't that he didn't want to watch out for Kagemiya. He just didn't appreciate having to do so in accordance with his brother's wishes. It always galled him to obey his older sibling, whether he knew it was wise or not. With this mindset, Yoshimori was surprised to hear himself say, "I can take care of him, Aniki. I won't let him get hurt."

_Damn. What the hell was that? _

Masamori stared at him for a moment; perhaps behind that expressionless stare, the elder Sumimura was a bit surprised. Then again, maybe he wasn't surprised at all. He smiled. "I trust you with this, Yoshimori." And then he stepped out the door and vanished from sight.

Yoshimori shook his head irritably as he started down the street towards school. Stupid older brothers, always trying to look so cool… His thoughts derailed when he caught sight of a familiar long brown ponytail ahead of him. Ducking around a corner, he peered out and watched Tokine until she was a longer distance away.

If she saw him, she would probably ask him about the night before and what had happened with Kagemiya. And the problem with that whole line of questioning was that…Yoshimori had no idea what he was going to tell her.

Of course, ideally it would be the truth, but somehow he wasn't sure the female kekkaishi could handle that just yet.

…Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that _he_ wasn't ready to handle that yet.

* * *

Kagemiya opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling overhead. It took a moment for memory to return, reminding him of the previous night's events, as well as the bathroom episode earlier that morning. He was in Yoshimori's home, and…the dark-haired boy was gone.

The pregnant teen pushed himself up on the futon, looking around. Further search revealed that Yoshimori's bedroom was indeed empty. The blonde took a moment to curse Karasumori- for being a school as well as a power source that needed guarding- before climbing to his feet. The room spun slightly and then settled; the half-ayakashi leaned against the nearest solid object to maintain his balance. The dizziness had been going on for almost as long as the morning sickness had, but he was better accustomed to it by now.

Almost without thinking about it, one hand drifted to his abdomen, cupping the base of that small bump. Sometimes he wondered if he could wish it away, if by not thinking about it, it would disappear. And then he had to remind himself that this was more than just an impossible position he'd found himself in; he wasn't the only one involved. Even before he considered the father of this child, there was the child itself. A _real _child. A baby. You can't wish babies away by ignoring them.

The blonde started, feeling hot tears slip down his cheeks. He scrubbed at his face viciously, banishing the ill-timed emotion. Once more, damn those hormones… He was going to lose his mind if the whole pregnancy turned out like this.

_Why couldn't Yoshimori be the pregnant one? _Kagemiya grumbled internally, divesting himself of the borrowed pajamas and donning his normal clothes. _…Well, he's not half-ayakashi, so technically it's impossible… And of course, he was the one on the top, so-_ Heat rushed to the blonde's face, and he quickly left that particular train of thought behind, turning his attention to the problem of his clothes. He hadn't grown enough for them to be too small yet, but just the vision of it happening in the near future was enough to darken his mood. His long-sleeved black shirt did very little to hide the unnatural growth of his midsection, as relatively small as it was. He would have to find some looser clothes somewhere, before long.

Running a hand through his tangled hair, the half-ayakashi grunted and pulled the troublesome ringlets back in a small ponytail, deciding he would brush it out later. Right now he was hungry. Although, considering his recent track record of not keeping food down, that could be a problem. Everything seemed to make him nauseous lately, especially foods that he was used to eating all the time.

_If this is kami-sama's idea of a joke… _Kagemiya let the thought trail away, pushing open Yoshimori's bedroom door and stepping into the empty hallway. He glanced left and right, trying to remember which direction led toward the kitchen. It had been a while since all of Yagyou was stationed in the Sumimura home, so the layout was a little fuzzy. And of course he didn't remember being carried through the house the night before; his last memory was of Yoshimori's arms holding him as they soared over rooftops. Then he had awakened at the ungodly hour of five in the morning to empty his stomach. That was all.

It was a little unnerving to walk past closed doors in a silent house. Kagemiya rubbed the back of his neck, looking around. Yoshimori was at school; it was probably the same case for his little brother, Toshimori, who the blonde remembered as little more than a small dark head and a sweet child's smile. He came around the corner to the find the dining room. That left-

"Oh! Sen-kun, you're awake!"

-Yoshimori's father, for one.

The blonde started, caught off-guard. "Sumimura-san," he whispered, frozen in the doorway. Blood rushed to his head and everything started spinning- _Yoshimori's father. He probably thinks I'm a- a freak, a monster, someone who doesn't belong here- and I, I d-did it with Yoshimori, and Sumimura-san knows about that, and- _Kagemiya only realized he was falling a split second before he felt someone catch him. Soft, warm arms that reminded him of… _Yoshimori…_ He lifted his head slowly, looking up into a pair of concerned, bespectacled eyes.

"Are you alright, Sen-kun? You look a little pale…" Shock flowed through the blonde as the older man shifted to free one arm and pressed his wrist against the teen's forehead. "No fever," he murmured. "Here, why don't you sit down for a bit? I'll get you some tea. I just made some for myself." Guiding the boy to a seat in front of the dining room table, the caretaker of the Sumimura household then disappeared into the kitchen, white apron swishing around his waist.

Kagemiya was tempted to slam his head down on the tabletop, if only to make sure that this wasn't a dream. How was it possible that he was surrounded by these people, people like Yoshimori and Sumimura-san, who didn't care that his condition was unnatural and maybe even repulsive? People who stood by and held his hair back while he threw up, people who kept him from falling and then went to fetch him tea… Was he going to wake up any minute? He rather hoped not, as crazy as all of this seemed.

Sumimura Shuji reappeared, coming back into the dining room with a teapot and extra cup in hand. Kagemiya realized belatedly that the older man actually _had_ already gotten himself tea; there was a full cup sitting across the table, untouched. He watched in silence as Yoshimori's father poured the steaming liquid and handed the small cup to him with the caution, "Be careful, it's hot."

"Thank you," the blonde muttered, certain that if his face had really been pale before, it was probably beet-red now. Maybe he should have stayed hidden in Yoshimori's room for the rest of the day, or at least until the other teen came home. He wasn't sure he was brave enough to face this by himself, whether or not Yoshimori's father was being inexplicably kind.

He glanced down into the tea sitting in front of him, expecting his stomach to turn in rejection. Surprisingly, the aroma was quite pleasant. Kagemiya raised the cup of greenish liquid to his lips hesitantly and took a sip. As pleasant as the aroma, the taste was warm and comforting going down his throat.

"I used to make this tea for my wife when she was expecting," Shuji said with a warm smile, oblivious to how the blonde across from him nearly choked. "She always said it was her favorite."

Kagemiya managed to swallow and put his cup down. He didn't really trust his hands to hold it steady at this point. "Sumimura-san-"

The brunette waved a hand, laughing nervously. "Oh, please, call me Shuji. 'Sumimura-san' makes me feel so old."

The blonde took a breath and tried again. "…Shuji-san, is Chief still here?"

The older man took a drink of his own tea, frowning absently into it. "No, Masamori left this morning," he said. "I do wish he'd visit home more often, though. He's always gone for so long…" Kagemiya blinked and wondered what it felt like to be in such a position: to have one son always absent, another trying to defend the source of an enigmatic power, the third just a child in dangerous times.

That hand sought his middle again, pressed against firm, rounded flesh. _Is that what it'll be like for me? Will I always be worrying, always sitting in place and wondering if everything's alright? Will I be helpless, unable to do anything? What if something happens? _

He was going to cry again; he could feel the tears welling up. The small teen exhaled slowly, willing them away.

_Hell no. There's no way I'm going to be stuck like that. I can take care of myself. I'll be able to take care of this…this kid too. _

"Masamori said he would be back in a few weeks to come and get you," Shuji continued, unaware of the blonde's inner struggle. "Something about a doctor at the headquarters that you need to see."

Kagemiya shuddered slightly. There was something he was not looking forward to. It wasn't the physician who scared him; it was the prospect of knowing more about his condition that filled him with trepidation. Because knowing more would make it all the more real.

And of course there was the whole bit about facing Yagyou's members again…

He forced himself not to think about it and took another sip of tea, looking around. The Chief was gone, Yoshimori was gone, the little brother was gone, and he was here with Shuji-san. So where…?

Somehow, Shuji understand the intent behind those searching brown eyes. "Otousan isn't here right now," the father said gently. "He had a day trip planned and left this morning while you were still asleep. He should be back sometime tonight." Kagemiya gave a slight nod, reluctant to admit that he was relieved. At least the patriarch's absence postponed a meeting that he was terrified to have. Even faced with Shuji-san's compassion, Kagemiya didn't think that Sumimura Shigemori was going to be quite so understanding.

As if to mock his troubles, his stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in almost twenty-four hours. Shuji glanced up at the blonde's flushed face. "Oh my, you must be hungry, Sen-kun," the older man exclaimed. "No wonder, it's past lunchtime already." Kagemiya looked at the clock hanging on the wall, realizing for the first time how late it was. "I'll make you something to eat," the brunette said quickly, climbing to his feet.

"N-no, that's fine, you don't have to-" And his stomach growled _again_. Shuji smiled cheerfully, ignoring the pregnant teen's look of mortification.

"You need to eat, Sen-kun. It's important for you and the baby, and besides, you look a little too skinny. You have to keep up your strength."

"…How can you just pretend that this is normal?" the blonde said almost inaudibly, staring down at the table. His hands clenched into fists in his lap. "Don't you know how, how _wrong_ it is? Wh-why are you just accepting me, just like that- that idiot-" His lips pressed together as tears overflowed once more. So much for not crying again. Damn, damn, _damn_ those hormones… Eyes closed in a vain attempt to suppress the waterworks, Kagemiya didn't see it coming; he jerked in surprise at the feeling of warm arms pulling him into a hug, a soothing voice _shh_ing in his ear.

In spite of the gender difference, it reminded him of his mother.

And so he allowed himself to be held for a little while, his tears making dark patches on the front of Shuji's shirt.

"You don't have to assume that just because it isn't normal we're going to leave you behind," the man said gently. "And not being normal doesn't make it wrong either."

Kagemiya hated how uncertain he sounded, how his voice trembled slightly when he finally spoke. And he hated what he said, but the words spilled out anyway, accompanied by pathetic sniffles. "You mean…you don't hate me?" _Kami, I sound like a little girl…_

The start of surprise that went through the other man's frame was very real. "No, no, of course not, Sen-kun," Shuji said in dismay. "I don't hate you, and neither does Otousan. You're here so that we can help you in any way possible."

_It has to be a dream. It has to be._ But Kagemiya felt tension bleed out of him, along with the rest of his tears; even if his mind could scarcely be convinced that this was real, the rest of him knew the truth.

Eventually Yoshimori's father pulled away, wearing that same kind smile, and ruffled already-messy hair. "You don't have to hold it in, Sen-kun," the brunette advised. "It feels better when you let it out anyway. Now, I know there's probably lots of things that you can't stomach right now, but I'm sure we can find something for you and that baby." With a determined nod, the older man got up again and reached down to help the teen up.

After a moment, Kagemiya accepted the hand. "…Thanks."

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A/N- And there you have it, chapter three! Don't worry, the angst has just begun. In fact, sometimes I think this whole fic is just an angst-fest... But I just can't resist torturing my cute little Sen... -giggle- Hope you liked it! Reviews make my life... -cough- hint, hint... -OA


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- Let's see...in this chapter: Yoshimori is clueless, Sen freaks out...and then Sen freaks out again. Sorry if these chapters seem like filler, guys! I just like making them talk to each other, I guess, for _whole chapters_ at a time. Heh heh. ...Maybe that's because nobody does much meaningful conversation in the manga...grr... Anyway, hope you can stand it anyway! -OA

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Disclaimer: Still nope.

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**Chapter Four**

Yoshimori climbed the ladder to the top of the school roof, the customary pillow tucked under his arm. With a sigh, the middle school student situated his pillow per usual and stretched out atop the roof, arms tucked behind his head. The sky was blue above him, littered with puffy white clouds here and there. It was a beautiful day.

He had wanted to sleep through his classes like normal; he certainly felt tired enough to sleep through them. But for some reason, he found that he couldn't. His professor had no doubt been startled to find Yoshimori's head upright through every class, even if the teen's eyes were fastened idly to the window the whole time. Yoshimori couldn't stop thinking about Kagemiya, wondering what the other teen was doing all this time, if he was alright. He knew he didn't really have to worry; on the off chance that something did go wrong, his father would be there to help Kagemiya.

But still…

The dark-haired teen closed his eyes with another sigh and wished that time would move at something faster than a snail's crawl.

_Be careful what you wish for. _

By the time Yoshimori opened his eyes again, the sun had already began its slow glide toward the horizon. The sounds of teenage voices filled the air, signifying the end of school and the beginning of after-school clubs. The middle schooler jumped to his feet frantically; how could he have slept late, on a day like today?

…Not that there was anything particularly special about today…

Yoshimori snatched up his pillow and ran across the roof to the ladder, shimmying down quickly. In his haste to reach his locker and gather his things, the young kekkaishi almost forgot about the issue that had so consumed him that morning.

He skidded to a halt at a corner and looked around in panic, searching for that long brown ponytail and praying fervently- _please, have mercy, kami-sama_- that he wouldn't see it. Fortunately, luck seemed to be on his side this afternoon. Tokine was nowhere in sight, which meant Yoshimori could once more put off that inevitable confrontation- which would probably take place that night at Karasumori- and try to figure out what he was going to tell her about Kagemiya. If he was going to tell her about Kagemiya.

Walking toward the gate of Karasumori with head bowed and dark eyes clouded in thought, Yoshimori almost missed the small figure leaning against the wall of the gate, hands stuffed into the pockets of a reddish coat. Then the figure shrugged away from the wall, hood sliding down to reveal familiar golden hair, and Yoshimori snapped out of his thoughts instantly. He headed quickly for the other teen.

"Kagemiya, what are you doing here?" the legitimate successor wanted to know, pausing in front of the blonde. The half-ayakashi looked away, blushing faintly.

"…Your dad is a really good cook," he muttered.

Yoshimori's stare was blank. "Eh?"

"I got tired of waiting around for you to come home," the blonde said irritably. "And your dad actually found stuff for me to eat that didn't make me throw up, so I figured it would be nice to get out…" By the end of Kagemiya's somewhat disconnected speech, Yoshimori was grinning.

"So you came to walk me home?" he finished, arms crossed over his chest and brow raised in suggestion. Kagemiya glared daggers.

"I just wanted a walk," he said peevishly. Yoshimori made placating gestures, figuring it was best not to push the issue at this point. They started down the street, heading back toward his house. "Oi, what took you so long, anyway?" the smaller teen demanded. "School got out a while ago. I had to hide so that Yukimura woman wouldn't see me on her way out."

Yoshimori scratched the back of his head abashedly. "Ah, sorry about that," he apologized. "I fell asleep on the roof and didn't realize that classes had ended…"

Kagemiya rolled his eyes. "It's amazing you can even pass your classes with all the skipping you do," he muttered.

The dark-haired teen shrugged. "I do alright," he remarked noncommittally. They walked in silence, perhaps each lost in thought. Around them, sakura petals fluttered in a breeze, children called to each other from a nearby playground, and cars drove past the inconspicuous pair on the sidewalk.

Yoshimori found it all a little too commonplace; how was it possible for the world to be so oblivious to the recent, foundation-shaking developments in his life, in Kagemiya's life? Were they really the only ones who felt the difference? The teen cast a dark-eyed gaze to the side and took in the profile presented to him by his blonde companion. For a minute, he saw the other boy through the eyes of an unknowing observer; if he forgot what he was looking for, it was difficult to see any change. The long red coat did an admirable job of concealing any physical indications of the blonde's pregnancy. Without any knowledge of Kagemiya's heritage or the secret breeding capabilities of male half-ayakashi, no one would ever guess.

"You're doing it again," the object of Yoshimori's attention growled; the dark-haired teen started.

"Doing what?"

Both hands shoved deeper into coat pockets. "Looking at me as if you've never seen me before," was the terse reply. Yoshimori tilted his head to one side, wondering if there was anything particular that had Kagemiya so on-edge.

"Sorry," he offered slowly. "I was just…thinking." He changed the subject. "So, Otousan cooked for you?"

Distracted by a stray cat climbing a nearby tree, Kagemiya nodded absently. "It was great. I haven't been able to eat anything good without puking it up in forever." This statement sent a stab of something- pain, regret, sadness?- through Yoshimori; he had a feeling there were things Kagemiya hadn't told him about the last three months, bad, suffering types of things. "You're a lot like him," the blonde added. There was a strange quality to his voice, as if he had forgotten that Yoshimori was even there, and wasn't really addressing him at all.

The legitimate successor blinked. There was one he didn't hear very often. "How am I like him?" he wanted to know. Now it was Kagemiya's turn to be caught off-guard. He gave Yoshimori a wide-eyed look, apparently just remembering exactly who he was talking to. Yoshimori raised a brow. "Well, how am I like Otousan?" he persisted. As far back as he could recall, no one had ever told him that he reminded them of his father. It wasn't that being likened to Sumimura Shuji was a bad thing; if he forced himself to dwell on the issue, Yoshimori admitted that there were things about his sire that he admired. It was just a comparison that'd never come up.

Kagemiya looked away quickly, flushing. "Uh…" The blonde slouched slightly, shrinking farther into his coat with his head dipping toward the ground. He studiously did not look at the boy walking beside him. "I thought he'd be angry," the smaller teen mumbled, barely audible. Yoshimori had to lean closer to catch the words falling from reluctant lips. "I thought he'd be disgusted or hate me or _something_, but…" A brown-eyed glance shot in the dark-haired kekkaishi's direction, and the words were even softer. "…He didn't leave."

One pair of feet continued down the sidewalk, almost quickening their pace to escape the conversation. The other pair slowed, eventually coming to a halt. Yoshimori stared after Kagemiya's back, trying to digest what he'd just heard.

"_He didn't leave." _

"_You…you're really not going to leave, are you?" _

So. This was crux of the matter. Incidentally, it was something Yoshimori had still been wondering about, wondering what Kagemiya had meant by that. And here it was again, that enigmatic statement, this time addressed to his father. So.

Kagemiya turned back finally, his face mirroring his impatience. "Are you just going to stand there all night?" he inquired. Receiving no answer, he marched back to the other boy's side, grumbling to himself. "Oi, Yoshimori!"

"You said that before."

The blonde stared at him. "…What?"

"You said that before," Yoshimori repeated, lifting his head to look at the smaller teen. "You said it to me last night: something like, 'You're not going to leave?' And just now you said that Otousan didn't leave, either." He eyed Kagemiya curiously. "Why did you say that? I don't really get what it means."

For a moment there was silence between them, except for the sound of heavy breathing. Yoshimori realized the latter sound belonged to Kagemiya, and watched with some level of concern as the blonde ran a trembling hand through tangled hair. Whether he was angry, or…or something else, the kekkaishi didn't know.

"Of course you don't get it," the pregnant teen snapped, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. Okay, maybe he _was_ angry. "It's 'cause you're just like _him_, just like-" He cut himself off, and Yoshimori was left wondering what name the blonde had been going to say. _Otousan? Or…someone else…? _"You don't seem to realize that it isn't normal," Kagemiya said tightly; the vein pulsing in his temple spoke of barely-maintained self-control.

And Yoshimori was still a little bit lost. "What's not normal? You being…pregnant?" It felt strange to say, foreign words on his tongue. He gave a shrug. "So? Aniki explained it well enough. It's just like, like-" He cast around for a good analogy. "-Like another special ability, or something." Yeah, yeah, that was good. "And I'm used to meeting people with different special abilities, so-"

Kagemiya swore under his breath and reached forward, grabbing the middle school student by the collar and yanking him forward. Eye to eye, centimeters apart. "You're. Missing. The. Point," the blonde hissed.

Yoshimori stared at him, waiting for the point to be made, and thought absently that in this light, Kagemiya's eyes looked a good deal like chocolate. Rich, creamy milk chocolate, the kind that went good in cakes.

"It's not normal for you to _stay_," the half-ayakashi added darkly. He searched Yoshimori's face, looking for a reaction, and jerked away when he didn't find what he was searching for. Frustration and confusion raged across the blonde's expression. "Why did you do it?" he cried. "That's what I don't get! You know, we hadn't seen each other in three months, and w-we only s-slept together one time, and you didn't know that anything could possibly result from that, and we- we're just kids! You had to know that Chief would find some place for me to go if you didn't want to handle this responsibility. And hell, it didn't have to be your responsibility, because really, it wasn't even fair to you, so-"

Yoshimori fixed on the solitary, crystalline tear that started tracing its way down Kagemiya's pale cheek. He didn't think the other boy was even aware of it.

"-So _why_ didn't you _leave me_?"

And in that moment, it was as if someone had switched Yoshimori's spine with a lightning rod. Shock flowed through him, accompanied by a jolt of relief as well. Finally, finally he knew what Kagemiya had been talking about, now that it had been spelled out for him.

Abandonment.

_Is that what you expected I would do to you? Do I seem like that type of person? Please, how could you think that I would ever hurt you…? _

His feet moved without conscious permission, carrying him closer to the blonde. A hand reached up, thumb brushing away that lonely tear before it could go any further. Wide brown eyes shifted from the ground to his face, confusion still clear in their depths. Arms lifted, wrapping around the blonde's slender frame and drawing him forward into a strong embrace.

"Because I don't want to."

There were so many other things he could have said, things difficult to explain, things caught up in the emotions he was experiencing, things that might not have made sense. Thoughts wove a complicated dance through his mind, flitting from one neuron to the next, filtering out awareness of his surroundings. His attention was riveted on only one thing, one person, the form of the pregnant teen he held in his arms.

_Why would I? Why would I leave you? What reason could I possibly have to do something like that? Didn't I say that I wasn't going to let you get hurt? Didn't I say that I wanted to protect you, to help you, because this thing you're trying to do seems so impossibly hard? _

_You're the only person I've ever shared…this feeling…with. _

_I don't _want_ to leave you. _

"…Don't…want…to…?" He heard Kagemiya whisper, warm breath ghosting against Yoshimori's neck. The smaller boy shuddered slightly, leaning farther into the embrace. His fingers, pressed against Yoshimori's chest, tightened around the material of the school uniform. "You idiot," came the muffled continuation. "I don't get you."

Yoshimori smiled briefly, mouth resting in golden hair. "S'okay," he said lightly. "I'll explain me to you sometime." He laughed as Kagemiya growled and shoved him away, dissolving the tender mood. He didn't mind. Only so much could be said at one time, especially so early on, when they didn't even have things figured straight in their own minds. But he wasn't concerned, either. They would both understand eventually.

The pair started walking again; they had to get back to the Sumimura house sometime, or certain people would start to wonder what was taking them so long. Yoshimori yawned, his body reminding him that a nap on the school roof was not enough compensation for his usual weariness. Maybe he could manage another one before he had to come back to Karasumori… He groaned. Kagemiya shot him a curious look.

"What is it?" the half-ayakashi asked shortly. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself after their recent conversation. Yoshimori rubbed a sleeve over his eyes, shaking his head.

"I still haven't figured out what to tell Tokine," the young kekkaishi said miserably. He walked a few more steps before realizing that Kagemiya wasn't following; turning back, he found the other boy still standing in place, staring at him with a strange look on his face. It was almost like…fear. "Kagemiya, are you okay?"

The blonde was shaking. "T-tell the Yukimura woman?" he choked out. "You want to tell her?!"

Yoshimori came back to the other teen's side, frowning. "I don't think we're going to be able to keep something like this a secret for six months," he said slowly. "And Tokine knows you were at Karasumori last night, and that I went to find you, and neither of us saw her after that. So she'll want to know what that's about. And she'll probably figure out that you're staying at my house if she sees you around enough…" He let the rest of it trail off, noticing that Kagemiya's face was a rather unhealthy shade of white. "What's wrong? Oi, Kagemiya!"

The pregnant teen sucked in a breath. "…I think I need to sit down," he managed, wavering. Yoshimori panicked, looking around frantically.

"Eh, um- ah!" He spotted a bench to their right, stationed innocently at the edge of a children's park. Target sighted, the dark-haired boy quickly drew one of Kagemiya's arms over his shoulder and wrapped the other one around his still-slender waist, leading him over to the blessed seat. _Thank you, kami-sama, for letting that bench be there…_ "Okay, okay, here, sit down," Yoshimori said hastily, guiding the other boy carefully. His concern coalesced into full-fledged worry as blonde didn't reply, only gripped the edge of the bench, breathing heavily. "K-Kagemiya?"

_Something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong- _

_What do I do?! _

"Stop making…that face," the half-ayakashi said, exhaling slowly as Yoshimori started out of his panicked thoughts. The dark-haired teen shot his companion a wild look, as if wanting to know how the other could possibly make such a demand of him.

"Are-are you okay? Are you alright? Is the baby fine? Should I carry you home?" The kekkaishi's questions were fired off point-blank, leaving no room for responses in between. Kagemiya grimaced, turning to grab hold of the other teen's shoulders.

"Oi, calm down," the blonde said irritably. "I…just got dizzy for a sec. The baby's fine, and no, you shouldn't carry me home. It's still daytime, idiot. People would see you. Normal people can't leap over rooftops, remember?" Yoshimori had no comeback for this, only studied Kagemiya with that _look_ on his face, the one he always wore when he thought it was his fault that someone got hurt because he hadn't done something to prevent it. It drove the blonde crazy.

_Why do you think it's your duty to protect everyone?_

_And why are you under the delusion that it's even _possible_ for you to protect everyone? _

"I'm sorry," Yoshimori said suddenly, and Kagemiya blinked, the line between thought and conversation blurring for a moment. "I didn't think about how you would feel if we, y'know…told Tokine about you being…pregnant. If you don't want anyone to know…" His voice trailed off briefly, and Kagemiya could tell the dark-haired boy was trying to think of a way to accomplish this. "…Then we'll figure out how to keep it a secret," he finished finally. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."

Kagemiya closed his eyes and leaned back against the support of the bench. Now he just felt tired; there had already been so much drama today, and he wasn't used to it. And neither were his hormones, but they were doing their damnedest to take advantage of it. He opened his eyes to find Yoshimori watching him _again_, with that same worried look on his face. _Blush_. "I'm fine," he mumbled. "It's just…"

"What?" the other prompted gently. "What is it?"

A heavy sigh. "Keh… She probably won't believe us anyway. What does it matter?" Yoshimori opened his mouth, about to protest, but Kagemiya gave him a sharp look. "Look, I guess you don't like keeping secrets from her because she's your childhood friend and everything, but I don't want to tell anyone. Not yet." He shuddered. "Just give me a few days to prepare for the revulsion, alright?"

Yoshimori did not appreciate that last part, scowling his disapproval. "There isn't going to be any revulsion," the middle schooler snapped, actually sounding angry. Kagemiya was mildly surprised. "You're not supposed to say stuff like that, remember? And Tokine isn't just some random person on the street; she knows better than to freak out about stuff that doesn't make sense at first." He stopped and released a breath, calming down as Kagemiya watched. Anger never seemed to last long in Yoshimori. "But I won't tell her yet if you don't want me too. I won't tell her _at all_ if you don't want me to." He turned and looked at Kagemiya, dark eyes serious. "It's your decision."

The blonde didn't really know what to say. "…Thanks," he murmured finally, studying the ground. His boots shuffled against the gravel, disturbing rocks and dirt. It was easy for Yoshimori to want this out in the open with some people; he wasn't the one who would resemble a balloon sometime in the near future.

And Yoshimori hadn't been at Headquarters when word got around. He hadn't seen the looks Kagemiya had received, hadn't heard the whispers.

_Even Shuu. Even Shuu looked at me differently… _

_Kami, I don't want to go back there. _

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yoshimori's voice cut through the silence, bleeding concern. Kagemiya sighed.

"I told you, I'm fine." He wasn't used to this, wasn't used to having someone worry about his well being in this way. He wasn't used to having a _reason_ for someone to worry about his well being. Being in Yagyou wasn't the same. It wasn't that the members didn't care about each other; they just knew that most everyone in the squad had the ability to keep themselves safe in times of danger. In some way, each individual had their own special method of defense. So this whole experience was a far cry from anything he'd known before. Because with this…

His hand moved of its own accord, straying from the edge of the bench to his abdomen. He had never been so grateful for the extra folds of his coat before now. He knew that no one else could probably tell the difference, but it was his body, after all. He felt it, felt it all the time. The change.

And because of that change, he didn't trust himself so much anymore. Hell, even before this he'd admitted to not being the strongest fighter around; maybe that was why he needed rescuing all the time… Nasty thought. But now it was worse. Now…he didn't even know if he'd be able to keep himself safe, if the situation called for it. And it wouldn't matter so much if there wasn't the other side of the equation to consider, the tiny being that had taken up residence inside of him.

Would he be able to protect that being if he had to?

The blonde was vaguely aware of dropping the hand from his stomach and clenching it into a fist atop his thigh, mimicked by its twin. The hell was wrong with him? Only a few hours ago he'd been sitting in the dining room at Yoshimori's house, telling himself that he was perfectly capable of taking care of his unborn child. Where had that resolution gone?

_It's the hormones. It's _got_ to be the hormones. _

_I…I'm not like this. I'm not…weak…_

He was so lost in the gloom of his thoughts that he didn't feel the dark-haired teen shift next to him, was completely unaware until a strange hand gently pried one of his fists apart. Kagemiya looked up into those dark eyes, so dark they were actually black.

"Let's go home," Yoshimori suggested. He seemed to be adept at breaking long silences. Kagemiya was glad the other boy didn't ask what he'd been thinking about, because he wasn't sure he was ready to talk about his inadequacies just yet. Or rather, again, because hadn't they already discussed it that morning, in the bathroom?

_I swear, if hormones had ayakashi forms, they would be so torn to pieces right now._

"Alright," the blonde replied, rising to his feet. He felt the gentle pressure of Yoshimori's hand against his lower back, supporting him, and decided he wasn't sure what he thought about anything anymore. Except for sleep. Sleep sounded really, really good.

* * *

A/N- No, you're not mistaken; I _did _write a 7-page-long (on Microsoft Word) scene and post it as its own chapter. Oh the angst. Review if you like it, hate it, or are indifferent to it. I'll be grateful any way. Thanks! -OA


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- In this chapter: Madarao is vastly amused, Sen worries some more, and Yoshimori acts like a dork while trying to make a point. I'm sorry if Madarao isn't really IC; I don't think I'm really satisfied with the way he turned out, but...oh well. Let me know if anything isn't right! Hope you enjoy the next installment! -OA

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Disclaimer: I'm getting the feeling we've already discussed this...

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Madarao laughed really hard that night. Yoshimori spent the entire trip from home to Karasumori wondering when the ghost dog was going to stop, but the moment never came. The mirth would fade for a few seconds and then the apparent hilarity of the situation would strike once again and Madarao would go off in another fit of laughter.

Suffice it to say, it was _really_ annoying. Yoshimori didn't understand what was so incredibly funny about the circumstances he found himself in. He was definitely more worried than amused. Kagemiya didn't say another word on the way home after they left the park, and once they got back the blonde retreated to Yoshimori's room and fell asleep almost instantly. Sleeping through dinner, he was still out like a light when the young kekkaishi reluctantly left for guard duty. Yoshimori kept wondering, as he approached Karasumori, if something was wrong to make Kagemiya sleep so much, or if the other teen was just tired…

And it was hard to think about such things with a chuckling ghost dog hovering over his shoulder.

"Shut up," the middle schooler snapped, glaring up at the smirking apparition. "It's not funny."

"Oh, but it is," Madarao disagreed, grinning wickedly. "Who would have thought that your first little tryst would yield such…interesting results?" More muffled laughter. Yoshimori turned roughly the same shade as a tomato.

"Sh-shut up," he repeated, looking away. "See if I ever tell you anything again."

Madarao hummed his amusement, easily keeping up with the irritated teen's pace. "But you see, I knew about it all along," he remarked smugly, taking great satisfaction in Yoshimori's panicked look and incoherent stammering. "Come now, do you really have such little faith in my amazing nose? I didn't have to be with you that night to know something had happened. One sniff, and…" His voice trailed away suggestively; cue more humiliated blushing. "In all honesty, it was a little difficult to pick out the fragrance since you also had the scent of blood all over you, but my nose never makes mistakes. And of course it was easy after that to match the scent to the half-ayakashi with the pale hair."

"Why didn't you _say_ anything?" came the scandalized hiss.

"I supposed you wanted to keep your little secret," the ghost dog said, expression turning mournful. "Maybe I was just holding out hope that you'd take me into your confidence one day… But no, you don't trust me, Yoshimori-_kuuuuun-_"

"Knock it off, Madarao," the dark-haired teen growled. But then he stopped short, staring up at his companion. "Wait. Did you know that Kagemiya was pregnant, too?!"

Unexpectedly, the ghost dog sobered. "I didn't know _that_," Madarao said rather grimly. "Though, I'm sure if I smelled him now, I would be able to tell… Whether ayakashi or human, all creatures have a distinct smell when they're expecting. But no, I didn't know it before you said anything."

Yoshimori stood in place, thinking, a frown wedged between his brows. "Madarao, have you ever heard of male half-ayakashis being able to…" Another blush. "Y'know, have…babies?"

If the apparition had shoulders, he probably would have shrugged. "Can't say that I have. But being chained here at Karasumori doesn't exactly afford me the best information. There are probably other ayakashi out there who've heard of it, though."

"Hn… You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" The question was posed suspiciously

Madarao snickered. "So you really don't trust me then?" He sighed dramatically. "Who in the world would I tell such a tremendous secret to?"

Yoshimori gave a nonchalant shrug. "I don't know. Hakubi?"

The ghost dog sniffed, nose turned into the air as one deeply offended. "As if I would share anything with that ill-bred up-start of a puppy," he sneered. Yoshimori hid a smirk and started walking again, satisfied that the secret would not be leaked anytime soon. Madarao drifted after him, silent for a few minutes. Then… "When are you going to tell the girl?"

A violent start. "E-eh? Oh, Tokine…" It would have been nice to forget that little detail. "What makes you think I'm going to tell Tokine?" the teen mumbled, looking away.

Madarao's smile was one of sharp teeth and a knowing expression. "Because you can't keep a secret to save your life," the dog pointed out, his transparent tail wagging a little more vigorously than usual.

"Kagemiya doesn't want me to tell her yet," Yoshimori said heavily. "So…I'm not going to tell. It's the least I can do, after all…" His voice trailed away, preceding his lapse back into thought. Madarao gave a sigh of disgust and circled around Yoshimori's head, disturbing his concentration.

"Oh, stop feeling all guilty and responsible," the ghost chided. "You're so boring when you get like that." This earned him a glare and a "Shut up," but the teen did shake off his introspective mood and leap over the gate to Karasumori. Madarao followed, relieved that his teasing had snapped the kid out of it. It was so tedious to follow a mute around all night, not to mention the fact that Yoshimori was hardly gifted at multitasking. If he was thinking, he'd be standing still in one place 'til morning, and the Yukimura girl would get all the ayakashi.

And if there was one thing that Madarao disliked, it was losing to that arrogant pup, Hakubi.

* * *

Tokine was seated atop a ledge when Yoshimori ran up, legs dangling in the air and Hakubi floating smugly over her head. "You're late again," she called down to the younger teen. He scowled up at her, arms crossed over his chest. It was an age-old argument, but at least it was familiar.

"Maybe you're just early all the time," he shot back.

She smirked. "Maybe it just seems early to you because you're always late," was the smooth reply. Hakubi smirked when Yoshimori failed to provide a comeback.

"You got him there, Honey," the ghost dog crowed, ignoring Madarao's disdainful glare.

Yoshimori snorted and jumped up to Tokine's level, looking around. "No intruders yet?" he queried, even though he would have known if there were. The high school student shook her head.

"Perhaps it'll be quiet tonight," she offered absently. "The last couple nights haven't been too bad either…" She shot a sideways glance at him and shifted. "So. Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Yoshimori froze for a split second and then lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head nervously. "What happened? You mean, last night?" She raised a dark brow and nodded, as if wondering what else he thought she'd been referring to. Madarao rolled his eyes in private.

In reality, Yoshimori was just trying to come up with a good story. Hopefully the old adage _the best lies are the ones closest to the truth_ would stand firm for him. "Well… Aniki came home from the Yagyou headquarters and brought Kagemiya with him, 'cause there's a lot of stuff going on over there and Kagemiya is…kinda sick right now. So Aniki asked Otousan and Shige-jii if Kagemiya could stay with us for a while, 'til things calm down." He resisted the urge to give a firm nod; it would look too much like he was trying to convince himself. But almost all of it was true, so he didn't feel to terribly bad about fudging the truth for Tokine.

Eventually. Eventually he'd tell her what was really happening.

Tokine _hn_ed thoughtfully. "What is Sen-kun sick with?" she wanted to know, resting her chin in her hand as she looked up at him.

"I… I don't really know, but he throws up all the time," the dark-haired boy said hurriedly, making a face. Okay, so maybe 'all the time' was a bit of a stretch, but if it made the story more convincing… "Aniki said he'd be back to get him a few weeks."

"Why'd Sen-kun come out to Karasumori then?" This was starting to a feel a little like an interrogation; Yoshimori felt a bead of sweat slide down his neck, and hoped that the young woman hadn't noticed.

"I think he was just mad that he got dropped off here," the legitimate successor said, surveying the grounds. He thought of that black aura he'd seen around the blonde, the dark irises and elongated pupils, long claws sliding out of fingernails, and masked a small shudder. Aside from all the other issues at hand, the statement was probably true anyway. "Kagemiya doesn't really like being taken care of. Maybe he just wanted to be alone for a while."

Tokine sighed, climbing to her feet. "Well, that's pretty much what Masamori-san told me when he came by last night to fill in for you," she remarked. "I kind of just wanted to see if you would say the same thing he did."

Yoshimori blinked once- _I said the same thing as Aniki? How did we manage that? I didn't even talk to him about it-_ and then stumbled back in shock. "_Ehhhh_?!" he squawked, waving an arm at her. "You don't _trust_ me, Tokine?" He forgot for a moment that technically he _was_ the one keeping something from her.

She laughed a little at his antics, raising her hands to placate him. "No, no, I just wondered if you'd give me anymore details," she rephrased. Yoshimori was trying to decide whether or not to stay offended, in light of his own secret, when both teenagers gave a start and looked around quickly.

Something had intruded on Karasumori's sacred and powerful grounds.

It was time to go to work.

"This way, Yoshimori," Madarao urged as Tokine and Hakubi took off. Yoshimori stood still for a moment before jumping down to the ground and starting to run with the ghost dog over his shoulder.

Well. That had gone better than he'd expected.

* * *

It took him by surprise to glimpse the flickering of a light on in the otherwise dark house. Yoshimori smothered a yawn as he kicked his shoes off in the entryway, figuring that maybe his father was up late in the study, working on his novel. The dark-haired boy proceeded down the hall, heading for his room.

…At least, that's where he would have gone if he hadn't discovered that the light was coming from the dining room.

And that Kagemiya was sitting in the dining room by himself, the only soul awake in the silent Sumimura household.

Both boys started upon seeing each other, eyes wide in the dim light of the lamp. Yoshimori found his voice first. "Kagemiya? What are you doing up so late?" He grimaced, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "…Early. I mean… You weren't waiting up for me, were you?"

The blonde scowled. "No, I wasn't," he denied, looking away. "I got up a little while ago to…" He seemed slightly embarrassed. "…To be sick, and then I couldn't go back to sleep."

The kekkaishi blanched. "You were sick at this hour?" It was even earlier than the previous morning's episode. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

Receiving no further response, Yoshimori sighed and stepped into the room, sitting down across from the other boy. "I told Tokine that you're staying here for a while because you're sick," he said off-handedly.

Kagemiya eyed him warily, brown eyes holding a faint glow from the light. "And my visit to Karasumori last night?" the blonde prodded.

"I said you were angry over being left behind," Yoshimori said with a grin, earning himself a dark look. Mirth faded into thoughtful contemplation. "The funny thing is, Tokine said that what I told her matched what Aniki told her… And I didn't even know that Aniki was _going_ to tell her anything…"

Kagemiya gave a short laugh. "Brothers think alike, eh?" he suggested.

Yoshimori crossed his arms, frowning sullenly. "I do not think like that jerk," he muttered, as close to pouting as he could possibly get. It was really more like sulking than pouting, if you looked closely. "He just likes ordering me around and showing off to prove he's better than I am-" The dark-haired teen stopped when Kagemiya made a strange sound, smothering its true identity in his throat. _A laugh? A groan? A sob?_ The smaller boy dipped his head, hiding his eyes from sight. "What's wrong?"

"I- I was just thinking, before you came in," the blonde whispered. "…What if we can't do this?" A heartbeat of silence before he rushed ahead, words spilling forth like water. "Wh-what if _I_ can't do this? What if it doesn't work? What if…" A hard swallow. "What if something happens, what if something goes wrong?" Kagemiya laughed again, but this time was unsteady and verging on hysterical. "I mean, do you really think that two kids like us can really _have a baby_? We- I- I didn't know anything about babies until the first doctor's appointment after I found out…" His hands were trembling on the tabletop. Yoshimori didn't say anything for a while, just studied the other boy. Kagemiya chewed on his lower lip, shifting his hands under the table so their shaking couldn't be seen anymore.

Finally, Yoshimori nodded to himself and rose up on his knees, as if he were going to leave. Instead, he launched himself across the table, sliding over the top on his stomach. Kagemiya nearly choked on a curse, he was so taken aback by the other boy's bizarre action. The blonde went to lean back or scoot out of the way, but Yoshimori's smile froze him in place, until the dark-haired teen's outstretched hands pressed gently against his abdomen.

It was a good still-frame, for the brief moments that it lasted: a tableau etched in time. The boy with curly blonde hair sat straight in his seat as if a rod had been jammed up his spine, his brown eyes saucer-like with shock. The boy with unruly raven locks was sprawled across the table, his arms reaching out so both hands could feel the faint curve where his companion's lightly-muscled abs used to be. Dark, almost black eyes were crinkled in a smile.

"The…the _hell_…?" Kagemiya whispered, breaking the silence, but Yoshimori's hands rubbed softly against his stomach; the blonde caught his breath.

"…You probably can't hear me," the young kekkaishi murmured. Kagemiya opened his mouth again and then closed it, jaw clenching. "You're probably too small to hear me, but who knows? Guess we'll have to ask about stuff like this… Anyway… I wonder- I wonder what it's like in there, where you are. Is it warm and comfortable?" His palms were patches of heat seeping through Kagemiya's shirt, smoothing the fabric in caressing circles. "Y'know, we weren't really expecting you at all," the dark-haired boy continued conversationally. "You were a bit of a surprise. Okay, you were a big surprise. Don't worry, you'll understand someday, when you see your-" Yoshimori paused, considering for a moment, "-mommy."

Kagemiya snarled at this, extremely displeased with the thought of being called 'mommy' for the rest of his life, and Yoshimori snickered, glancing up briefly into brown eyes. But before the blonde could insert anything, the other boy had turned his attention back to the third, yet-unseen occupant of the room.

"I know you have a while to stay in there before we get to see you," the teenager continued, his voice quiet. "But when you do get here, I think you'll like it. Besides me and your mom-" another snicker, "-there's lots of other people you should meet. There's Otousan, and Ojiisan, and Toshimori, and Aniki, and Tokine… All these people who'll probably want to meet you too. And they're going to help us along the way, I just know it." Black eyes drifted up to meet brown once more, as if making a point, and then moved away, focusing on the swell of Kagemiya's stomach again. "Otousan will help us, and Ojiisan." Yoshimori stopped, eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, probably Ojiisan. Maybe. And Aniki'll help…whenever he's around… And Tokine will help, but she doesn't exactly know about you yet, so we'd have to tell her first, and-" A flush worked its way across Yoshimori's face; he seemed to realize that he was defeating his own argument. "Never mind. It's going to be fine." He hummed for a moment, a nameless tune. "You're going to like it here," he finished in a whisper, delivering a final pat to the small bulge.

Sliding backwards slightly, Yoshimori propped his elbows on the tabletop and lifted his head to stare up at Kagemiya, waiting. There was just the faintest hint of satisfaction on the former's face. Kagemiya looked down at him, expressionless; silence hung between them for a moment.

A thin claw shot from the blonde's middle finger, stabbing into Yoshimori's forehead.

"Owwww!!!!" the teenager hissed, remembering at the last second not to howl his discomfort and wake the rest of the house. He sat up off the table and clapped a hand over the small puncture wound, scowling at the other boy in affront. "You stabbed me! What'd you do that for?!"

"Because you called me the 'mommy,'" Kagemiya said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why the hell am I the mom?"

"You're the one who's pregnant, aren't you?" came the growled reply. Ignoring Kagemiya's sullen expression in response, Yoshimori lowered his hand to see if his head was bleeding- it wasn't- and then sighed. The sigh turned into a yawn that nearly cracked his jaw, reminding both of them how late it was. Or early. Whichever you prefer. "Look, I was just making a point," the legitimate successor said, rubbing one eye.

"And disproving it at the same time," the blonde muttered under his breath.

If Yoshimori heard, he chose not to comment. "It's not like we're alone in this. We really do have people to help us."

"I know that-"

"And I already said I would protect you, didn't I? Whatever I can do to help, I'll do it."

"Yoshimori-"

"And I know you're strong enough to do this, Kagemiya."

Silence.

Tears glistened in the dim lamplight and dropped onto the table.

A whispered, "Damn it." A fist hit the tabletop with a muted thud. "I swear to kami-sama, if I'm crying like this for six more months, you're going to wish you never-"

"A-a-ahaha! _Any_way… It'll be fine, you'll see."

"Yoshimori, is Chief the only member of your family who _isn't_ unrealistically optimistic?"

The dark-haired teen scratched his head, trying to think past the clouds of sleep assailing his brain. It completely escaped him that perhaps the question posed had been rhetorical. "Ojiisan isn't like that," he mumbled, staggering to his feet. "And Toshimori… Ehhh. Never mind. I don't know about Toshimori. We should go to bed." Kagemiya rose as well, finding that after all that, he was tired again. As irritated as the pregnant teen was with kami-sama, he offered up a brief thanks that he didn't have to wake up in a short number of hours and go to school like Yoshimori.

The two boys traversed the dark hallway together, silent in the darkness. Yoshimori muttered a curse, stubbing his toe against the doorway, and Kagemiya smothered a laugh. Under any other circumstance it wouldn't have been that funny, but everything is twice as amusing in the early hours of the morning, especially when you're emotionally drained.

Both of them collapsed in their beds with almost simultaneous sighs of relief; laying down just felt so _good_.

"G'night, Kagemiya," Yoshimori murmured drowsily.

"…'Night," came the feather-soft response.

* * *

A/N- There we go. Another crisis averted for the time being. Anyone want to take bets on how long this peace lasts? Anyone...? -crickets chirping- Okay... O_o Hope everyone enjoyed Yoshimori's brush with craziness. Definitely OOC, definitely. Anyway, review, review! Review and I'll be your friend for all time! :D Thanks! -OA


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- "This week, on _Stay_: Yoshimori and Sen's secret might be in peril! Is someone about to find out what they've been trying to hide?!" ...Yeah. That's basically it. Hope you like my take on Tokiko. And I'm sorry if Yoshimori is starting to seem consistently OOC now; I think I need to go back and revisit the anime sometime soon... -sigh- Anyway...chapter six. -OA

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Disclaimer: Nah.

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**Chapter Six**

It was a bit warm for the time of year, Yukimura Tokiko decided, standing on the top of the wall and watering her plants. It was still cold enough for jackets, but the sun was shining brightly overhead for the third day in a row, without any rain and hardly any clouds. It was a nice change from the usual frigid weather, but her plants might suffer if the relative heat continued.

Humming softly to herself, the petite woman glanced down into her neighbors' yard, sniffing at the general décor of the place. Sure, the grass was clipped neatly and the weeds kept back, but that was about all that could be said for the Sumimuras' gardening skills. There were hardly any flowers in the flower beds, nothing colorful to compliment all the green and brown. A house full of useless men, that's what it was.

…Though, perhaps not all of them were useless. She had tasted Shuji-san's cooking before, and it very nearly rivaled that of her daughter-in-law; that was definitely a redeeming point in his favor, but the rest of them-

The train of thought was derailed as her sharp eyes took in the presence of a not-so-familiar face. She searched her memory for the applicable name as she watched the blonde young man cross the Sumimura backyard; with a barely audible sigh, he seated himself on the bench set against the house, leaning back against the wall. If he looked up to the top of the wall that separated the two homes, he would be able to see her, in plain sight. But almond-shaped brown eyes were fixed on the ground, tinted with a downcast expression.

Tokiko made no move, no sound, as she stood there and observed in secret. Under normal circumstances, the boy- _Kagemiya Sen_- would have sensed her presence. If she recalled correctly, he was half-ayakashi, and member of Masamori-kun's Yagyou squad. He should have known she was there almost instantly.

And yet…

The blonde gave that sigh again, running a hand through his tousled hair. The other came up to rest over his stomach, smoothing the fabric of his shirt over a small bump in otherwise lean musculature. The old woman frowned; it seemed unlikely that a trained member of the Urakai would be permitted or even have the opportunity to achieve an obvious weight gain like that. And for what reason was he staying with the Sumimuras? It couldn't be an issue of Karasumori's security, or she would already have heard about it. So then…

Completely unaware of his silent watcher, the teenager closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall of the house; his posture spoke of weariness. The hand tangled in his hair dropped to join its twin on his stomach, both palms flat against his flesh, almost as if-

Tokiko's eyes widened only slightly as realization hit. _Could it be…?_

So. Those rumors she had heard all those years ago might be true after all.

"Boy," she called; his eyes snapped open instantly at the sound of her voice, his frame going rigid as he sat upright. His hands jerked away from his abdomen as if they'd been burned. It took less than a second for him to find her, perched atop that wall with the garden hose still in her hand. She shifted the aforementioned hose slightly, reminding herself not to drown the plants closest to her in her preoccupation. "When are you due?" It was a chance she had to take to prove the theory.

She felt a sense of mild satisfaction to see the blood drain from his face and his eyes widen. It was satisfying not because he was obviously starting to panic, but because his reaction was proving her theory correct.

"Wh-what?" the blonde stammered, rising to his feet and staring at her. Yes. Definitely panic. Definitely proving. "What did you say?"

She tilted her head to the side. "I asked you when you're due," the old woman repeated. "You're with child, aren't you?"

"_It is a little known fact that male half-ayakashis are similar to their full-blood brethren in the matter of breeding. Regular ayakashi males can reproduce themselves, if there happen to be a lack of females in the surrounding area; this has been proven. However, this condition also applies to half-ayakashi males, regardless of whether or not their permanent form is humanoid. Even if they are human-form, they still possess the ability to bear young." _

She had never imagined that what the crazed physician told her so long ago would be proven true, much less in front of her own eyes.

"That's insane!" the teen exploded, hands clenching into fists. Even from where she stood, she could tell he was shaking, and she was fairly sure it wasn't from anger. Likely it was closer to fear. For obvious reasons, this was a secret he didn't want exposed. So how much did the Sumimuras know, then? "You've lost it, obaasan." She knew he was hoping that she wouldn't hear the frantic note in his voice. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a _guy_."

Tokiko gave him a sharp look for insulting her intelligence and state of mind. "I'm aware of that, _boy_," she replied. "Maybe I would be insane if I didn't know that male half-ayakashis can bear children."

He wavered, furious expression melting into shock and denial. And panic. Can't forget the panic. "No," he whispered, shaking his head. "How can you- how can you know that? Chief didn't even know-" He held an arm over his middle, looking away. When she studied him closer, she saw further negative evidence of his condition; underneath the blush of shame and embarrassment, his skin was paler than she remembered, and faint circles rested beneath his eyes. His body was unused to this new capability it had been presented with and didn't know how to respond correctly.

"You didn't answer my question," she pointed out serenely.

"Six months!" he snapped with a venomous glare. In the next second he looked startled, realizing that he'd actually offered up the information. Tokiko nodded absently; he looked about the right size for the time frame, perhaps slightly underweight.

Now the next question was, who was the father? Presumably Masamori-kun had left Kagemiya Sen with his family for a reason. It was possible that the eldest son of the Sumimuras was just looking for a calmer place for the teen to stay for a while, but that seemed too disconnected to her. Surely with the resources of the Urakai, Masamori-kun would have been able to find other safe places for the pregnant half-ayakashi to stay. So why his home…?

_Ah._

She glanced down at the boy, eyeing him critically. There was no denying that he was very pretty, in a sharp, irritable sort of way. Of course, she knew better than to assume that this pregnancy was Masamori-kun's doing; the young man didn't seem the type, regardless of how pretty the boy. And even if he _was_ the type, she didn't think the Yagyou leader would risk his standing and reputation by involving himself with a subordinate. An underage subordinate, at that. So if she was searching within the realm of the Sumimura family, that only left one more option.

_Legitimate successor indeed._

_That impulsive brat… _

A furious shout captured her attention, drawing her out of her thoughts. She hid a smirk, turning toward the source of the commotion. Eventually, if she stood on the wall long enough, she was bound to attract his notice.

"You! What are you doing up there, old hag? Stop spying on our house!" Sumimura Shigemori dashed over to the base of the wall, glaring up at her and waving a fist. She noticed the flicker of his eyes in the direction of the blonde teen, but no further reaction was forthcoming

Tokiko sniffed, lifting her nose in the air. "Why would I want to spy on a house of unmannerly men?" she inquired loftily. "I'm merely standing on my wall, watering my plants."

It was most amusing how everything she said served to incense the old man. "That wall is on our property!" he roared. "It belongs to _us_!"

"This wall was built by my grandfather!" she shouted back. The only problem with incensing him…was that she always ended up getting drawn into it herself. "It belongs on _our_ property!"

"You crazy old hag!"

"You batty old coot!"

"You imposters! We, the Sumimura family, hold the blood of the legitimate successors!" The old man leapt nimbly onto the wall, facing her. Tokiko jerked the garden hose up and sprayed water into his face. He sputtered, jumping back out of reach, his face cast in fury. The two elderly kekkaishi would have continued the fight, but a rustling sound caught their attention.

A brief glance showed that Kagemiya Sen was gone from the yard below. A solitary figure disappeared into the distance, jumping over the rooftops of the neighborhood.

"He might hurt himself doing that," Tokiko observed neutrally. She shot Shigemori a look. "Or the baby."

A flash of shock appeared in his eyes and then vanished. "So you know," he stated.

She snorted. "I'm a woman, old man," she said pointedly. "It's easy enough to tell. Anyway, I heard of the possibility of these kinds of pregnancies years ago."

She could tell he was interested, and perhaps wanted to ask her more, but pride stood in the way. "This is Sumimura business, Tokiko," the old man said flatly. "We can manage it on our own."

The old woman _hn_ed. "I wonder."

"What was that, you hag? Are you insulting the Sumimura name?!"

"You couldn't manage your way out of a _paper bag_ on your own! Just look what happened with Kokubourou!"

"That's completely unrelated, and- Wait, what do you mean, 'what happened with Kokubourou'?!"

And so the war began again.

* * *

Kagemiya could feel his heart beating against his ribcage, so hard that he thought it might burst out of his chest at any moment. A mantra was pounding inside his head, almost in time with his heart; the combination was so loud and dizzying that he could scarcely think.

_She knows, she knows, she knows, how does she know, why does she know? Kami-sama, what am I going to do? She knows- _

Karasumori loomed before him, drawing him closer to the one person he needed to see. The blonde hurtled over the school gate- _So much for not leaping over houses and stuff in broad daylight, huh?-_ and across the grounds, narrowly avoiding a PE class of girls before reaching the school building.

"…_I fell asleep on the roof…" _

_Please, kami, please let him be skipping…_

His head tilted back as he stared up toward the roof, seemingly miles away. For a fleeting second he considered giving up and waiting for Yoshimori to come home from school. But the panic was still running through his bloodstream, his heart was still pounding, the mantra was still echoing in his skull- He couldn't wait.

It took a while, even with his abilities, to find a route up to the very top of the roof. It would have been much easier if he had Yoshimori's kekkais to use as footholds, but all he had was the fear and adrenaline and that incessant mantra to drive him upwards.

_She knows, she knows, someone knows, how the hell did she find out?! What are we going to do?! _

Kagemiya stumbled over the edge of the roof finally, staggering to a halt. Relief crashed down on him when he saw that the kekkaishi really was skipping; the dark-haired teen was stretched out only a few feet away, arms folded behind his head and resting on a small pillow.

He opened his mouth to say the other boy's name- _Yoshimori!_- but nothing came out; his lungs were empty of air. The blonde hunched over, clutching his knees for support as he tried to drag in a breath. His body wouldn't cooperate with the demands of his brain-_ Breathe! Say something, damn it!_- but it didn't really matter. Black eyes jerked in his direction, attention captured by the sounds of the other's appearance. The middle schooler jolted upright, those eyes wide with shock.

"Kagemiya?!" Yoshimori scrambled to his feet, hurrying over to the other teen. "What are you doing here? Did something happen?"

Kagemiya gasped out "-She knows-" before lightheadedness swept over him, the edges of his vision going black. Maybe he was falling; it was hard to tell. Everything was drifting away, and he was being pulled under a heavy blanket of that darkness-

"_Kagemiya_!"

The pure terror echoing through every syllable of his name brought him back to the surface. The darkness receded, clearing his vision. Though the interim had hardly felt like more than a few seconds, Kagemiya found that the scene had changed somewhat. He shifted his head, blinking, and realized he was slumped forward against a familiar broad chest. "…Yoshimori?" The dark-haired boy was on his knees, staring down at the blonde with something akin to panic. Kagemiya thought idly that that was probably the same expression he'd been wearing himself.

Yoshimori released an explosive breath, relief dancing across his features. "You're okay," he whispered, so quiet that Kagemiya wasn't even sure he'd been meant to hear it. The pregnant teen leaned back, trying to sit up, and felt strong arms steady him. "Careful," the other boy cautioned. "You passed out, remember?"

_Oh… Was that what that was? When did running across roofs get to be so exhausting? _He guessed he knew the answer to that one.

_Why did I come here in the first place…? _

The blonde's eyes widened, and Yoshimori stiffened as if preparing himself for another fainting spell or something. Kagemiya reached out and grabbed the front of the middle schooler's shirt, fear taking over again.

"The Yukimura obaasan," he choked out. "She knows…that I'm pregnant."

"…_Eh_?! The old hag knows?!"

_He sounds like his grandfather. _Kagemiya nodded and then wished he hadn't; the action made everything spin a bit dizzily. "She…asked me when I was due," the blonde said faintly, pressing a hand to his temple. The memory pulsed in time with the massive headache that was forming behind his eyes. _What a mess, what a mess…_ "And I…actually…told her." _Six months. Kami…I'm not going to make it. _

Yoshimori blinked. "You did?" The blonde nodded again, miserable. "Oh. Okay… Well, we can't help it now that she knows."

Kagemiya groaned. "But we have to do something! What if she tells someone?"

The dark-haired boy gave him a look. "Who's she going to tell?"

"I don't know!" Horror crossed his face, brought on by a terrifying thought. "What if she contacts the Urakai?!"  
Yoshimori raised a brow. "The Urakai doesn't know?" he surmised, sounding confused.

An absent shake of the head. "Chief said he would keep it within Yagyou for now. If I'm here on leave, there's no need to tell them, or something like that." Kagemiya muttered a curse under his breath. "Even if she doesn't tell anyone, she still knows, and…" He frowned slightly. "She said she already knew that guys like me can get knocked up," he mused, ignoring the blush that spread over Yoshimori's face like wildfire. "I wonder how she…?"

A bell chimed over the school's PA system, announcing the change in classes. The two boys glanced down toward the ground and then at each other.

"I should probably go," Yoshimori said uneasily. "Sometimes my shikigami doesn't remember to copy down all the assignments right…"

Kagemiya latched onto his arm, panicking. "But what are we going to do?" he demanded. "What if the old woman tells the girl? How are we going to explain this?" He panted, all out of breath, staring up at Yoshimori with wide eyes.

The dark-haired teen took the blonde by the shoulders. "Kagemiya, calm down. It's not that big of a deal. We'll figure this out, okay? Even if she does tell Tokine, we can work through it. Tokine'll understand."

"No one can understand!" the pregnant teen hissed. His stomach did a back flip and he stopped, apprehension shooting through him._ Wait, wait, just breathe, alright? Stop freaking out…_

Yoshimori studied him, gaze worried. "I promise, it's going to fine. Look, why don't you just stay up here and rest, okay? I'll go to class and then I'll come back up and get you." He rose to his feet, preparing to leave the blonde there in the middle of the roof. Kagemyia gritted his teeth and grabbed Yoshimori's sleeve as he went by, desperate. A blush worked across his face.

"Don't…go."

"…What?"

"I don't want you to go, bastard!"

Yoshimori crouched down by Kagemiya's side. "Kagemiya, it's only one more class. Come on, just wait here for a while. I…I don't want you to go back without me, alright? You still look kinda pale, and I don't want anything to happen… Class'll be over before you know it."

_I'm. Not. Going. To. Cry. There's absolutely no reason for me to be crying. No reason in _hell_ why I should be crying…_

The blonde watched in silence, barely holding back tears, while Yoshimori darted over to get his pillow and brought it back, dropping it in the other teen's lap.

"Here, you can use this if you want," the dark-haired teen said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. Kagemiya stared down at the pillow. It was ruffled. And pink. _Um…_ "I'll be back in a little bit," Yoshimori said, heading for the ladder that led down from the roof. "Wait for me." He searched the other's eyes, still concerned. Kagemiya gave a slight nod, looking away, so the kekkaishi grinned and swung his legs over the lip of the roof, disappearing over the edge.

The blonde sat there for a while in silence, gazing into space.

_She knows. _

_What are we going to do about it…? _

"_It's not the big of a deal. We'll figure this out, okay?" _

_Why…is everything so easy for you? _

Heaving a sigh, Kagemiya curled up on his side, the pink and ruffled pillow under his head, and closed his eyes wearily.

"…_I don't want you to go back without me… Wait for me." _

He drifted beneath the sea of unconsciousness with Yoshimori's words ringing in his ears.

* * *

A/N- Geez, Sen really needs to calm down, huh? .......Review........? -crickets- -OA


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Heeeeeeeeeere's chapter seven! And somebody else is about to find out about Sen, who could it _possibly_ be?!

Uh, so, I just thought I should address this briefly; I'm sorry if Sen seems really whiny or gay (although he is...?) or pansy-ish or excessively-angsty. This just happens to be the way he came out when I was writing him, and given the situation (teenage pregnancy for wrong gender, resulting from a one-night-stand between sorta-different species) I really think most of his uncertainty is justified, even if it seems like he just. can't. get. over. it. :P And I swear, there have been times when I was reading the manga and been like, 'Oh my gosh, he's such a girl...' -cough- But anyway...yeah. I love him muchly, for all his faults!

Oh, and if you're also tired of how I keep beating him up, I'll apologize for that too...but I just can't resist. XD -OA

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Disclaimer: ....sigh....

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**Chapter Seven**

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am, bastard!"

Shuji leaned his head out of the study, brow furrowed in concern. "Don't argue, boys…" he called, not entirely surprised when his plea was ignored. The two teens stormed down the hallway from Yoshimori's room, heading for the front door. The older man sighed, returning to his work. It really was too late at night for them to be fighting.

"Give me one good reason!" Kagemiya snapped, hands on his hips. Yoshimori bent down to adjust his shoes, lips pursed in thought.

"You passed out on the roof of the school this afternoon," the dark-haired teen supplied. Kagemiya turned red.

"Th-that has nothing to do with it! That was hours ago! I was just tired, that's all!"

"I had to carry you home piggy-back after class."

"Idiot! That's because I was _sleeping_! If you didn't want to carry me home, you should have woken me up!"

"I didn't want to wake you up! You were _tired_!"

"So?! I'm not tired anymore!"

Yoshimori snorted, arms crossed over his chest. "I don't get you," he said shortly. "I thought you didn't want anyone to find out that you're pregnant, but now you want to come with me to Karasumori, where Tokine is going to be." He raised a brow. "What's the explanation for that?"

Kagemiya glared at him. "Maybe I'm just sick of staying home while you go to school and damn guard duty," he said hotly. _And this is only the first week…_ "So sue me. Besides, if the old woman didn't tell her, the Yukimura girl isn't going to notice. My coat hides it well enough."

The kekkaishi sighed. "Not tonight, okay?" He reached out and ruffled the blonde's hair, catching the other teen by surprise. "I don't want anything to happen." Yoshimori grinned. "What if a bug ayakashi shows up?"

Steam puffed out of Kagemiya's ears; he ground his teeth. "Idiot! Do you think I'm going to stay in here forever?!" But Yoshimori merely shrugged and picked up his staff and backpack, stepping out the door and into the night. Not to be left behind, the blonde flung the door open and chased after the other teen. "Yoshimori!"

The dark-haired boy glanced up, standing in front of the small doghouse by the gate. "Oi, Madarao, it's time to go," the kekkaishi called, ignoring Kagemiya's furious outburst. The ghost dog floated out, stifling a yawn. Golden canine eyes skimmed over Kagemiya in an up-down motion, taking in details that the half-ayakashi rather wished he could keep hidden. There was something uncomfortably analytical in those golden eyes, which managed to seem curious and yet disinterested at the same time. Kagemiya watched, mystified, as Madarao gave a slight nod to himself and then drifted away, heading toward the street.

"You're going to be late again," the ghost dog intoned, bored. Yoshimori cursed and dashed after him, casting an absent wave back at the scowling blonde.

"Get some rest, Kagemiya! See you later!"

Hands clenched into fists.

_Like hell I'm going to let you walk away and leave me behind, bastard. I told you, I'm not going to break. And I'm not going to stay here and wait for you every night like a housewife. _

That last thought made him blush. Madly.

_Damn it. Why does he do this to me…? _

"You're awfully noisy for this hour of night," called a voice to his left. Kagemiya started, head whipping to the side as he searched for the source of the voice. His investigation led him to the side of the house where he'd sat that afternoon. Where Yukimura Tokiko had been standing on the wall, _spying_ on him, for all practical purposes. Where she'd discovered that he was pregnant.

And here she was again.

The blonde stiffened at the sight of the old woman, perched unconcernedly on the wall once more. "What do you want?" he demanded, glaring up at her. She sniffed, offended by his impertinent tone.

"I want you to keep your voice down, boy," she said frostily. "Some people actually try to sleep around hours like these. No one wants to hear you shouting your lungs out at that Sumimura brat."

Again with the blushing. It was _almost _as bad as the crying. Almost. "It's none of your business," he muttered, arms crossed over his chest, as if in self-defense. "Don't you think you know enough now anyway-" He stopped, lips pressed into a thin line. That was not what he'd been going to say… Actually, he didn't know what he'd been going to say.

_Why do I feel like everything's falling apart, like the world is breaking into pieces, like nothing I do turns out right? _

…_Why do I feel like I'm turning into a drama queen?_

If Kagemiya had been watching, he would have seen the old woman's face soften slightly as she regarded him. There was no way he could know that his confusion was written all over his face.

Yukimura Tokiko gave a sigh, hands on her hips. "I don't know what you're so scared about, Kagemiya-kun," she said, shaking her head and ignoring the start he gave over discovering that she knew/remembered his name.

He bristled visibly, like a cat whose territory had been trespassed upon. "I'm not scared!" the teen snapped. A pause. "…Besides, what do you know?" was the muttered continuation. "It's not like you're in this position…"

The old woman shrugged. "Well… It seems to me that it would be much easier if you would simply trust the people who're supporting you, instead of worrying that they're going to abandon you at the nearest convenience. Because I don't think they plan on it." She glanced down in the silence that followed to see if he'd got her point, and then hid a smirk. The confusion on his face had been rewritten in shades of shock. "Good night, Kagemiya-kun," Tokiko said nonchalantly, giving a small wave before jumping down from the wall and returning to the peace of her own home.

Kagemiya stood there and stared at nothing for at least two full minutes.

_How…how did she know that I was worrying about…? _

Somehow he didn't think he would be getting an answer to that one anytime soon.

"…_If you would simply trust the people who're supporting you…" _

"_You don't have to assume…we're going to leave you behind." _

"_We really do have people to help us…" _

"_And I know you're strong enough to do this, Kagemiya."_

The pregnant teen ran both hands through his hair in agitation, pacing back and forth. Voices in his head: the Yukimura obaasan's, Shuji-san's, Yoshimori's… They were all telling him the same thing, and it just didn't make sense. How could they accept this so easily? Why was the fifteen-year-old father of his child able to go to school and Karasumori everyday and carry out his duties and not have a total meltdown?

…Of course, that could have something to do with the lack of hormones that Kagemiya himself was so burdened with, but…

Was this not scary to anyone else?

"…_People to help us…" _

_Fine. Be that way._

Kagemiya took a deep breath and marched back into the house, snatching up his coat from a peg by the door. Shuji stuck his head out of the dining room, holding a cup of tea in his hand.

"Sen-kun?" the older man said uncertainly. "Is everything alright?"

The blonde pulled the coat on, glancing back over his shoulder. "I'm going out for a walk, Shuji-san," he said shortly. "Excuse me."

"Be careful," Shuji called. "Don't get in to trouble, Sen-kun." No further reply forthcoming, the front door closed behind the petite teen. The bespectacled novelist sighed for the _n_th time that night and returned to the study, tea in hand. The recent fight notwithstanding, it was pretty obvious where Kagemiya's walk would lead him. At this point, Shuji could only hope that nothing bad would happen.

_Yoshimori-kun will take care of Sen-kun and the baby,_ the father thought firmly to himself. There was no reason to worry, right?

…That didn't stop him, though.

* * *

In all fairness, Kagemiya did walk _most_ of the way. Most of it. Within five blocks of Karasumori, however, he grew too impatient and jumped out of the street, taking to the rooftops in his haste. He needed to get there before any ayakashi showed up and distracted the two kekkaishis on guard; he needed to get this out.

He wasn't sure why he felt so desperate about it. Maybe it had something to do with what the old woman had said. In combination with everything that Yoshimori and his father had been telling him all this time, it seemed convincing.

It was time for him to give in. Some arguments simply couldn't be won.

_I'm doing this for you, you idiot, so you better stand next to me when I spill my guts to that Yukimura girl-_

The thought of what he was about to do sent a shudder up his spine; his stomach clenched almost painfully in apprehension, and Kagemiya halted atop a small house, trying to catch his breath. It was already clear that he was going to be good for absolutely nothing in the next six months, and probably afterwards as well, when he considered it. It wasn't as if he'd be able to jump up and go once the baby was…born…

_That_ thought was almost as terrifying as the previous one.

_Stop. Thinking. About. It._

…_Right. Now. _

He straightened and kept going, trying to keep in mind that he needed to hurry. Otherwise he would completely lose his nerve and succeed in talking himself out of this insanity.

Kagemiya paused outside Karasumori's gate, hesitant to enter. If he did, the kekkaishis would instantly feel his presence. Instead, he stood as close as he dared and listened, half-ayakashi ears straining for a sound.

"Obaasan said she saw Sen-kun today," he heard the Yukimura girl say.

"I-is that so?" Yoshimori replied, sounding nervous. Kagemiya fought the urge to roll his eyes. Idiot. He was so obvious.

"She said he didn't look really sick, just a little pale, like he wasn't sleeping enough." The curiosity in the girl's voice was just as clear as Yoshimori's nervousness. Kagemiya gritted his teeth, occupied with the problem of trying to make his legs move. _Come on, move, damn it…_

"But he sleeps a lot," Yoshimori said, perturbed. The male kekkaishi gave an unsteady laugh. "Well, I'm sure he just needs more time to get better."

_Oi, oi, don't just dismiss me like that,_ the blonde thought irritably, and then wondered why exactly he was so irritated.

"Obaasan said she heard that you had to carry him home from school this afternoon," Tokine added, a combination of confusion and concern. "What was he doing at-"

Finally, gaining control of his own limbs again, Kagemiya scaled the gate of Karasumori and dropped to the ground on the other side, running down the path toward the sound of their voices. They would know someone had entered the perimeter by now.

Sure enough, the girl never finished her sentence, and when Kagemiya burst out of the trees, both kekkaishis were facing in his direction, waiting for the appearance of the intruder.

Their reactions upon seeing him were both startled, but rather varying in levels of intensity. "Kagemiya?!" Yoshimori squawked. "What are you doing here? I told you not to come tonight!" This earned him a disdainful glare; Tokine stared at the blonde in surprise.

"…Sen-kun," she murmured. "Yoshimori said you were…"

Hands clenched into fists at his sides. A short breath drawn.

"I- I can explain that," Kagemiya said, hoping she wouldn't hear the way his voice was shaking. The dark ghost dog hovering over her head started, wearing those same too-knowing eyes that Yoshimori's phantom companion had.

"Ah, Honey-" Hakubi began, but Madarao cut him off.

"Hush, puppy," the white-hued apparition said condescendingly. For once, shockingly, Hakubi obeyed, shooting Madarao a sharp look in question.

"Kagemiya, what are you doing?" Yoshimori repeated, stepping toward him. "I thought-"

Kagemiya blushed, looking away. Something about the look on the other boy's face made him want to… _Why is my heart beating so fast?_ "Idiot," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "So I changed my mind, alright? You…you're the one who kept saying that she'd understand, and it wasn't a big deal."

The dark-haired boy's eyes widened. "Yeah, but-"

The half-ayakashi faced the Yukimura girl, who was watching them with a frown on her face. Looking into her dark eyes, he quailed, having a feeling that maybe she hadn't really been buying any of the excuses from the beginning anyway. "Ah… The truth is…"

_Heartbeat. _

"He knocked me up."

Spoken in an off-handed tone, with a short gesture in Yoshimori's direction; the young kekkaishi looked like he'd just been struck by lightning.

Kagemiya thought idly that it was strange for his hands to start shaking _now_, after he'd finally spilled the beans.

This was almost worse than having Yukimura Tokiko find out on her own. This time, he was the instrument of his own destruction.

And he wasn't ready for it.

Silence.

"Ketsu." A negligent wave of Tokine's index and middle fingers, and a kekkai shot out sideways, smashing into Yoshimori's head. The other kekkaishi sprawled on the ground, seeing stars. Long brown ponytail swished as the high school student turned back to Kagemiya, who vacillated between gaping at Yoshimori's prone body and staring at her in trepidation; her face was expressionless. "You…want to run that by me one more time?" she inquired.

His hands wouldn't stop shaking. "Yoshimori and I-" _You bastard, why are you on the ground while I have to do this all by myself?!_ "-We had s-s-s-sex-" _Damn, can't even say it without stuttering-_ "-And I got p-pregnant. Chief says that apparently half-ayakashi males have the ability to reproduce." He released a breath; at least that much was over. Looking up, he found those dark eyes studying him shrewdly.

"Aha," was all the young woman said, her voice absent. Kagemiya cringed. He knew better than to think that would be her only reaction.

_It's strange, it's unnatural, it's wrong-_

"Tokine-" Yoshimori began dazedly, staggering to his feet. She summoned a kekkai around him without batting an eye, trapping the middle schooler inside. "Oi, Tokine!"

"You're been irresponsible and impulsive again, haven't you?" she said sharply, the weight of her frown falling on her childhood friend. Yoshimori grimaced, rubbing the back of his head abashedly.

"Eh…" He pursed his lips in a pout. "We didn't know this was going to happen," he mumbled. "Anyways, let me out of here!" She waved her hand, and the kekkai vanished. Yoshimori blinked, as if startled that she'd actually done it so easily. He brushed himself off, wiping away dirt from his previous encounter with the ground, and walked over to Kagemiya. "Aniki brought him here to stay with us for a while," the teen said. "Just like I said… I wasn't lying to you, Tokine."

"I thought something was funny about Sen-kun coming to visit," Tokine said, head tilted to the side. "Just being sick didn't seem like a good enough reason, and Masamori-san didn't have any specifics, and then Obaasan saw Sen-kun this afternoon…" She shook her head ruefully. "You're not very good at keeping things secret, you two."

Kagemiya stared at her. _That's…that's it? That's all she's going to say? She's just going to _accept_ it, just like that?!_

"Come to think of it, I think I remember Obaasan talking about something like this, a long time ago," the female kekkaishi said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her index finger. The two boys gaped at her, their thoughts racing in harmony: _She knew something like this all along?!_ The brunette looked back at Kagemiya. "So…you're really not sick, then?" she ventured, her voice vaguely questioning.

Kagemiya blushed. Again. "Not unless puking up my guts every morning counts," he muttered. Yoshimori made a face.

"Yeah, that part doesn't seem to be going to so well," he said in commiseration. "But maybe it'll get better, like the doctor said. You're three months along, after all."

Tokine's eyes widened. "Three months…?" Residual shock, it seemed. Her brown eyes drifted down to the blonde's midsection, searching for evidence. Yoshimori's face brightened.

"Yep, three months!" the dark-haired teen said excitedly. "Look at this, Tokine!" Before Kagemiya knew what was happening, Yoshimori and Tokine were bent over in front of him; Yoshimori grabbed the girl's hand and planted it against the blonde's abdomen. "Our baby's in there!"

_Our baby…_

Kagemiya stiffened, less than pleased with the invasion of his personal space. "Yoshi…mori," he managed, flushing to the roots of his pale hair. "What the hell are you doing?!" They ignored him, of course. _Grr…_

Tokine's mouth formed a small 'o'. "It must be so small right now," she murmured, rubbing her hand over the bump. She looked up at Kagemiya, her face eager. "Can you feel it move yet?"

"N-no," he stammered. Realization crashed in on him, stealing his breath. _She's not running away, she's not looking at me in disgust, she's not screaming, or ketsu-ing and metsu-ing me… _

_Why? Why is it just like Yoshimori said? How did he know…? _

_This can't be happening. Yoshimori, Shuji-san, the Yukimura obaasan, now Tokine… None of them react the way I thought they would. _

_None of them walked away… _

"Sen-kun? Are you alright?" Tokine's worried voice sounded very far away, for some reason. "Yoshimori, he's really pale. I think he's going to-"

_I just don't _get _it. _

"Kagemiya!" Two pairs of arms wrapped around him, lowering him to the ground; two faces hovered over him, two pairs of concerned eyes staring down at him. He wondered idly why the amounts kept doubling suddenly, turning into four faces and four pairs of eyes. It was a little disconcerting. "Ah- no, no, no, no more passing out! Take a deep breath, okay?" That was Yoshimori's face right above him, Yoshimori's panicked gaze.

…Which meant it was likely Yoshimori's lap that Kagemiya's head was resting in, but the blonde couldn't even muster a blush at the thought. His body felt so heavy now, as if he'd run for miles, or fought a whole bunch of ayakashi single-handedly. And he hadn't, he knew that much.

"What's wrong with him?" he heard Tokine ask.

"The idiot probably wore himself out again," Yoshimori grumbled in response. "He likes to forget that he can't go leaping all over the place like he did before." Kagemiya felt a hand lightly stroke his hair. "…And I think he was expecting you to run away or reject him or something."

Tokine sniffed. "Why would I do that?" she demanded.

"I don't know!" the middle schooler said defensively. "I told him you wouldn't, but he wasn't convinced…"

"You know I'm still laying _right here_," Kagemiya interjected, his voice hoarse. He'd finally stopped seeing double, thanks be to kami. It'd been making him feel nauseous. Yoshimori smiled down at him warmly, clearly relieved; for some reason, that smile managed to banish most of the blonde's irritation.

"Tokine, will you go get my backpack?" the dark-haired boy requested. "I left it by the front door." The young woman nodded, rising to her feet and disappearing from Kagemiya's line of sight. "Are you feeling better?" Yoshimori ventured, still worried. "You really need to stop doing this, you know. It's not good for you or the baby if you pass out at least once a day."

"I know _that_," the half-ayakashi snapped, trying to sit up. It didn't work so well. "Damn it," he whispered.

"Whoa, easy," Yoshimori said, alarmed. "Just rest for a sec, okay? You're not supposed to push yourself so hard, remember?" He gave a dark frown. "What did you do, go jumping across the city again, twice in the same day? Why would you do something like that?"

"I-" The blonde chewed on his tongue, cursing internally. "…I needed to see you. And I needed to explain all of this, just so I wouldn't have to worry anymore."

Yoshimori huffed in frustration. "Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean you had to put yourself at risk to do it!" he protested. "It's not like I was going anywhere!"

For some reason, those last words seemed to pierce right through him, like the stab of a knife. _Not going anywhere… Can I really dare to hope that you'll stay with me through all of this? And afterwards? _An ache resonated through his skull; Kagemiya closed his eyes tightly. _Kami…what am I going to do if he ever leaves me, even for a little while? I can't do this if he's not here… _

_He might think I'm strong, but I'm really not. _

"Kagemiya?" Yoshimori whispered his name tentatively, as if afraid to interrupt the blonde's inner musings. It was the faint uncertainty in the dark-haired teen's voice that forced Kagemiya to open his eyes and look up at the worried face hovering over him. "I- I'm sorry," the kekkaishi blurted out. "I didn't mean to hurt you or anything…"

"You didn't hurt me," the half-ayakashi said shortly. His head wouldn't stop pounding, and now he felt nauseous again. He was beginning to think that Karasumori itself was having an adverse effect on him. "…Kami…"

"What is it?" the other teen demanded, instantly on-edge. Tokine returned with the yellow backpack in hand; she gave it over to Yoshimori, eyeing Kagemiya with some level of concern. "Thanks, Tokine," the former said hurriedly, rifling through the backpack's contents in search of something. He gave a faint grunt of satisfaction, pulling out a water bottle and unscrewing the cap. "Here, have some of this," he said, holding it close to Kagemiya's mouth.

The blonde groaned. "No thanks." The thought of having anything in his stomach, even liquid, did nothing to improve his nausea.

"Come on," the male kekkaishi insisted, gently propping the other teen up towards a sitting position. "You're probably dehydrated or something; just take a little bit, okay?" He held the bottle to Kagemiya's lips, his hand surprisingly steady as he poured some water down the blonde's reluctant throat. The half-ayakashi gritted his teeth, willing his stomach to settle; puking from drinking water was just so pointless. And he was not going to be sick in front of both Yoshimori _and_ the Yukimura girl. No way. "…You look like you're about to throw up," Yoshimori remarked worriedly after a moment.

Kagemiya grimaced. "I'm not…going to," he managed, closing his eyes again. "I'm fine."

It was highly probable that Yoshimori would have had a retort for that comment, but he never got a chance to deliver it.

The two kekkaishis stiffened simultaneously, and Kagemiya's eyes flew open. They could all sense it. An ayakashi had crossed over the boundaries into Karasumori.

"Damn," Yoshimori swore, looking down at Kagemiya frantically. "Maybe it's a small one."

"Honey!" Hakubi floated over to Tokine's side, vaporous tail twitching in anticipation. "Three of them have entered at once!"

"Enough to go around," Madarao observed, tossing his head.

"What do we do?" Yoshimori demanded, turning to Tokine and ignoring the ghost dogs.

"I can take care of myself," Kagemiya snapped, ignoring the fact that he didn't think he could even stand at the moment. There was no point in bringing that up now, not when he already hated himself for being so weak. The next six months were going to be the suckiest of his life…

"Like hell you can," Yoshimori countered with surprising strength. "I'm not going to put you or the baby at risk, even if it's just some little-league ayakashi." The fierceness in his eyes was strangely warming, and Kagemiya could think of nothing to say in reply. The dark-haired teen ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Stay here, okay? I'll put a kekkai around you. Hopefully that should hold. Tokine and I will try to keep them away from this area too." Kagemiya gave a slight nod, straightening. Somehow, he didn't think any further protest would go over very well at this point; truth be told, he wasn't that inclined to argue.

At least he still had a fragment of sanity left…

Maybe.

Yoshimori pulled the blonde to his feet, helping the other maintain his precarious balance, and led him over to the base of a tall tree. "This spot looks good enough," the kekkaishi murmured, raising two fingers to create his signature barrier around the pregnant teen.

And suddenly Kagemiya was flashing back to _that_ night, and Yoshimori was standing between him and the ayakashi, and the ayakashi's pincer came slashing down, blood spurting into the air-

"Wait!" Kagemiya's hand flew out and grabbed Yoshimori's arm before the young kekkaishi could summon a kekkai. The middle schooler blinked, surprised; he opened his mouth, likely to ask what was wrong, but Kagemiya shook his head, cutting the other boy off. "Just…" He gritted his teeth, searching for the words. "…Don't let yourself get beat up or anything," the blonde mumbled finally, blushing and looking away. He released Yoshimori's arm, leaning back against the tree trunk. _Damn it, stop freaking out all the time. It's embarrassing. _

He heard a murmured "Ketsu," and glanced up, finding the world tinted in blue. Yoshimori grinned at him through the kekkai. "Don't worry," the dark-haired teen said cheerfully. "I'll be careful." Calling for Madarao and Hakubi, the legitimate successors took off in pursuit of the ayakashi intruders.

Kagemiya watched the pair disappear from sight and released a breath, sliding down the tree trunk to a seat on the ground. The tree's bark was rough against his back, the grass slightly damp beneath him, and everything cast in that pale blue of Yoshimori's kekkai…

_Never mind. I _am_ going insane.

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_

A/N- Sorry this chapter kinda ends in a weird place; the whole scene is actually much longer but I decided to split it into two chapters because otherwise it would have been way longer than normal. Anyway, hope ya liked the big reveal! Because of course it was Tokine's opinion that mattered most all along :P 'Til next time! Please review! Thanks! -OA


	8. Chapter 8

A/N- Yay for chapter eight. It's basically a continuation of chapter seven. And sorry, but I'm horrible with fight scenes; I prefer to imply that they're fighting and holding a conversation at the same time. :P Um, I think that's it. Enjoy! -OA

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Disclaimer: Still not mine. Maybe one of these days...

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**Chapter Eight**

"So, you're not…mad?" Yoshimori ventured tentatively, dodging a shower of spikes from the ayakashi. Tokine shot him a glance, mimicking his action.

"Why would I be mad?" she inquired; her tone gave nothing away. The dark-haired teen frowned at her and aimed a kekkai toward one of the intruders. The porcupine-like creature squealed and skittered out of the way, avoiding the trap agilely.

"Well…I was trying to keep a secret from you, and…" He blushed. "K-Kagemiya and I- that is, we- I mean, he's a-"

Tokine perched on a tree branch above his head, dark eyes focused on the constantly-moving enemy. "Yoshimori, if you're talking about your preference, I've known about _that_ for a while," she said calmly. He sputtered and turned even redder, gaping at her in confusion. "I've known since…since Gen-kun was with us." A moment of silence as memories flashed through their heads, images of their strong, spiky-haired ally. "Even if you were just friends, there was something…" She gestured with one hand, trying to fill the wordless gap. "…Something else there, something deeper."

Yoshimori's head jerked away, mouth taut with embarrassment. "There wasn't anything between Shishio and me," he muttered. Tokine smiled slightly as she called forth a kekkai, succeeding in capturing one of the ayakashi.

"Metsu!" One down, two to go. "No," she agreed, shaking her head. "Not like there is between you and Sen-kun." More blushing. "That was _easy_ to see, even at Kokubourou, when you two barely knew each other."  
"T-Tokine," Yoshimori stammered, mortified by this candid discussion of his sexuality and relationships. "W-we didn't- back then-"

"Oh, come on, Yoshimori," the high schooler said disparagingly. He was not particularly pleased with how _knowing_ she looked. "It was obvious from the way you looked at each other. After all, you rescued Sen-kun, and then he wanted to help you so bad that he nearly got himself killed by Kaguro for you…" She pretended not to notice the wince that Yoshimori gave at the recollection. "It was certainly enough to make me think."

"I…I'm sorry, Tokine," her childhood friend said quietly. "I'm sorry if any of this…hurt you, somehow. I never wanted to-"

"Idiot," she said unceremoniously, halting his penitent little speech. "You didn't hurt me." Yoshimori shot her a glance; she sounded just like Kagemiya. It figured that the two people closest to him had such similarities.

They were interrupted by the ayakashi, put to work capturing and destroying the remaining two. Tokine resumed once they were finished. "I wondered for a while if I was the one-" She cut off, her smile faintly nostalgic. "But it doesn't matter. You've always been like my brother, Yoshimori. And you've…you've grown up a lot."

He grinned at her, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, I've had to, right? That's my baby, too." She nodded, rendered momentarily speechless at the thought: _Yoshimori's going to be a father…_ The male kekkaishi turned serious, his dark eyes intent. "But some things aren't going to change, Tokine. I'm not going to give up on Karasumori and sealing it away, because I don't want people to keep getting hurt. I'm going to reach my goal."

Tokine sniffed and told him he was still an idiot, that _that_ wasn't going to change anytime soon, and wondered at the same time why she felt so proud of him.

* * *

"How long have you known about this?" Hakubi inquired, glancing over at the white hound floating beside him. The two ghost dogs were hovering off to the side, watching their kekkaishi owners' talk.

Madarao smirked. "I knew those two brats had mated from the very first night," he said smugly. "Good heavens, the smell…"

"And the blonde one bearing a human pup?" the dark apparition pressed. Madarao sobered, golden eyes flat.

"Not until Yoshimori told me," the pale dog said shortly. "But I smelled the young one in the blonde the first time I saw him after that. It was easy to scent."

Hakubi _hn_ed. "The pup smells a little…small," the younger ghost remarked. "Small for its age."

The elder shrugged. "It could be sick," Madarou said idly. "But who could say."

"The blonde one's body does not seem to appreciate its new guest," Hakubi noted. "Without stability, the pup's condition may worsen." He shot Madarao another sideways glance. "Are you going to tell Yoshi?"

A shake of the head. "The human doctors will figure it out," the ghost dog replied. "It seems that the brats have enough to worry about right now, _ne_?" Receiving no comeback, Madarao rolled his eyes. "Come, don't tell me you're unhappy with the way things turned out," he said mockingly. "After all, you never really imagined that _they_ would end up mating, did you?" He gestured toward Yoshimori and Tokine with his head; Yoshimori said something stupid, and Tokine pounded him on the head with one fist.

Hakubi snickered. "Never," he replied. "Honey wouldn't take someone so far beneath her."

"This way is a perfect loooooove story!" Madarao cooed, giving a dramatic sigh and clapping his paws together. Hakubi ignored the fruity canine's simpering and returned to watching the two teenagers. Yoshimori whined at Tokine for hitting him, and she taunted his childlike behavior in turn.

_It definitely wouldn't have worked. Ever.

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_

More ayakashi appeared before Yoshimori and Tokine managed to make it back to Kagemiya's resting spot. By the time they returned, they found the blonde asleep against the tree trunk, hands resting limply in his lap.

Yoshimori swallowed once, distracted by the way Kagemiya's head was tipped back, revealing that pale throat again. There was something decidedly embarrassing about noticing such things when Tokine was standing right next to him. "Guess he was worn out after all," Yoshimori remarked, lowering the protective kekkai and crouching down in front of the other boy. "I should probably take him home so he can rest." He reached out and nudged Kagemiya's shoulder gently. "Oi, Kagemiya, wake up. You can't sleep under a tree all night, y'know. Kagemiya…"

The pregnant teen gave a soft moan, turning his head toward the sound of Yoshimori's voice. "I'm not going to sleep under a tree all night," he murmured, his voice thick. "You were just taking so damn long…"

"Sorry. Come on, I'm taking you home." Straightening, the dark-haired kekkaishi offered both hands and helped the semi-conscious blonde to his feet. Kagemiya wavered, disoriented by the sudden rise in altitude, and held onto Yoshimori's arm for support; he froze abruptly, staring at something outside Yoshimori's line of sight. The taller boy shifted, uncomfortable. "What is it?" he wanted to know.

"…You're bleeding," came the whispered reply. Yoshimori craned his neck to the side, barely able to glimpse the shallow cut resting next to his collarbone. One of the ayakashi must have snagged him when he wasn't paying attention.

Unnoticed on the sidelines, Tokine observed their interaction. It struck her that Kagemiya was looking at Yoshimori the same way Yoshimori used to look at her whenever she sustained the slightest injury: the worry and irrational panic mixed with the slightest hint of guilt. _Kami, the irony._

"It's just a scratch," Yoshimori said with a shrug; the cut barely even stung. Kagemiya's eyes tightened. He didn't seem to appreciate the nonchalance.

"Idiot," the blonde breathed. "You can't even keep yourself safe…"

Yoshimori frowned, more concerned with how flushed the other teen's face suddenly was. He lifted his wrist to Kagemiya's brow, skin against skin, and his frown darkened. "Oi, you're burning up," he said unhappily. "Feel him, Tokine." She stepped forward and planted her palm against the blonde's forehead, ignoring the start he gave at her touch.

"It must be a fever," the young woman said. "You better get him back, Yoshimori." Her childhood friend blanched. She knew him well enough to tell what he was thinking about: that time so long ago when she had stepped in to save him from an ayakashi, and the days of fever that had threatened her life afterwards.

"Don't just decide things when I'm standing right here," Kagemiya snapped, looking and sounding irritated. He rounded on Yoshimori, which had to be difficult considering the blonde was still holding the other boy's arm to maintain his balance. "And you're not taking me back to the house piggyback, if that's what you're thinking."

Yoshimori's eyes took on a steely glint. "Fine then," the kekkaishi said with a scary grin. In a single fluid motion, he swung the smaller teen into his arms bridal-style. "I'll be back to help, Tokine," Yoshimori said over Kagemiya's half-strangled protests. "Leave some ayakashi for me, alright?"

She gave a noncommittal smile. "Get some rest, Sen-kun," she offered to the other boy, holding his gaze for a moment before he looked away.

"…Thanks," Kagemiya said, the gratitude barely audible. But she knew the thanks extended to more than just her wish that he feel better soon.

After all, now she knew the secret. And she hadn't run away.

And perhaps, somehow, that was more important than she could ever know.

Yoshimori glanced back at her over his shoulder, and his eyes thanked her for the same thing. "Madarao," the middle-schooler called, heading for the front gate. The ghost dog sighed as one much put-upon and trailed after his master reluctantly.

Tokine watched them go and then turned away. "Come on, Hakubi," she said absently. "I think we're going to be on our own here for a while."

The dark canine smiled, revealing two rows of sharp teeth. "Nothing we can't handle, Honey," he said confidently.

Tokine returned the smile. "Of course."

* * *

"Put me down!" Kagemiya hissed, struggling briefly in Yoshimori's arms. The other boy fixed him with a dark glare, effectively freezing him in place.

"No," came the flat response. The blonde stared up at him for a moment, taken aback by the blunt refusal. "I knew it was a bad idea for you to come out here after what happened this afternoon," the dark-haired teen continued in a mutter, eyes tight as he watched the street.

Something unpleasant- _disappointment_- welled up inside him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. "I thought… I thought you wanted this," the smaller boy whispered, cursing the rising urge to cry. _Damn. Hormones._ "I thought you wanted her to know about…about us, and the b-baby…"

Yoshimori softened, evidently sensing the potential onslaught of tears. "Of course I did," he said, moderating his tone to _slight_ exasperation. "And I'm glad you told her and everything, and that everything's fine now, but that doesn't mean I wanted you to get sick because of it!"

Brown eyes widened. "…Put me down."

Yoshimori raised a brow, startled. "What? I already told you-"

The slender form in his arms went rigid. "Put me down _now_!" Kagemiya yelled, uncaring of all the dark houses they were passing, the lateness of the hour, and how his voice might carry. "I'm going to throw up!" He scrambled out of Yoshimori's arms before the other teen even came to a complete halt and staggered over the nearest lamppost, hunching over at the waist and retching onto the pavement. After a moment he felt a cool hand against his hot forehead, brushing his hair out of the way; the other hand rubbed against his back in an attempt at comfort.

Madarao was snickering somewhere over their heads. "Ah, a tender moment," the ghost dog smirked. Yoshimori shot him a glare.

"Did we _have_ to bring him along?" Kagemiya managed before succumbing to another dry heave. Apparently there hadn't been that much left in his stomach to throw up. Yoshimori shifted uncomfortably.

"We couldn't just leave him at Karasumori. It's not like he can do anything, and he'd probably just spend the whole time arguing with Hakubi…"

Madarao gave a snort, insulted. "Can't do anything, can't do anything? Does nobody see how unappreciated my olfactory genius is?" He drifted away, muttering angrily to himself. Yoshimori grimaced and turned his attention back to Kagemiya. The blonde was panting softly, holding onto the lamppost for support.

"I- I'm sorry for yelling at you," the dark-haired boy said hesitantly. "I didn't mean-"

"Stop it," Kagemiya interjected wearily, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his coat. "I was the one yelling, remember?" He rested his head against the coolness of the metal pole; it felt good against his feverish skin. "Kami, you're all crazy…"

Yoshimori shifted, aware that the subject had been changed. "Who's 'all?'" he wanted to know. "And why are we crazy?"

"All of you!" Kagemiya snapped. "You, your father, the Yukimura girl and her grandmother…" He hesitated, breathing heavily. "…None of you know when to walk away…"

The other teen's dark brows shot up, face altered in shock. "You don't _want_ us to leave, do you?" he demanded, incredulous. "'Cause even if you do, I don't think it's going to work-"

"No!" Kami, that was the last thing he wanted. The very thought sent darts of panic through him. "I just don't get why _you_ don't want to leave!" He'd only been here a week, and already they'd rehashed this argument how many times? There was nothing but silence behind him, and Kagemiya closed his eyes, wondering if maybe he'd finally crossed the line and alienated himself from the one person he wanted most to stay-

A pair of strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him back against the taller boy's chest. He felt Yoshimori's face press against his hair, heard a low hum in the kekkaishi's throat that vibrated through both of them. "Idiot," the legitimate successor said lightly; the smile in his voice made Kagemiya question what exactly was so distressing about the whole situation. _Great, now I'm just overreacting about everything…_ "I'm not leaving because I don't _want_ to. I told you, I want to be here." Those arms tightened, and at the same time became even gentler. "I want to be with you."

But such a confession had never been delivered, at least not in so many words, and Kagemiya couldn't help the hot blood that rushed to his face, dyeing him a nice shade of scarlet. It was just so- How could Yoshimori simply say something like that?

The other boy released him, sensing the blonde's embarrassment and probably experiencing his own. "Th-that is, I mean, y'know-" Kagemiya was silent as Yoshimori cast about wildly for something to say.

_He didn't leave. The Yukimura girl didn't leave… None of them left. _

_So…_

_Maybe, for now, I can stop worrying…?_

Relief filtered through him, even as everything went blurry and the world vanished into darkness, serenaded by Yoshimori shouting his name.

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A/N- Okay, hope that was good. And now I have to say...that the next chapter will probably be a long, long time in coming. -cringes- See, everything I've posted so far was basically written in advance. Most of it during the summer. Yeah. And I'm not really on a _Kekkaishi_ kick anymore, so inspirations are few and far between. But I still like this story, so I'll try to work on it in the near future. ...Please don't hate me... Review instead! Thanks! -OA


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